Beat the Caro-Kann with 4.Ne5!

Of course, objectively black is equal and a prepared opponent may get a comfortable game. But I disagree with you when you say this doesn't get black out of their comfort zone. It's a different structure than players are used to, and many players quite simply react poorly, even strong players in  long time control events.

In fact, the main chess.com page just posted an article where white employs basically the same structure. Check it out: https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-boiling-frog-attack

What would that be?

Interesting line, good way for white to test blacks understanding of the structure without having his book moves to rely on.

         If Black plays 5....Bf5 instead of 5...e6 then I suppose white plays g4 

The 5...e6 lines look passive and block the bishop in

so I guess that leaves 5...g6    if I was white I would try 6.Be2 and after 6.....0-0 play 7 h4 and go for the throat.

   Black should be ok but OTB if black is the weaker player can see that 4.Ne5 causing trouble for him

These "tricky" kind of moves such as 4 Ne5 may do well in blitz and perhaps even in slower OTB time controls like G/100 but are probably quite risky in correspondence play (especially in ICCF which allows conputer assistance during play).

Here's a game vs that fianchetto stuff. 

thanks deirde i have karpows book on the caro but he does not cover any of the sidelines (also not the two knights which are very popular right now due to the chinese players)

4.Ne5 is mentioned in the houska book in the chapter on rare lines.

the idea behind this strange move is that the check on b5 can become rather uncomfortable.

4..Nf6 5.d4 g6

then there are loads of mves white can play on move 6

6.Ne2

6.Bd3

6.c4

6.h4

are all seen as unchallenging

6.c3

6.Bb5

are the two main moves. But black just plays normal chess and shouod be ok

So 4N.e5 is ok for white, but with best play black ok. The advantage for white is that black will likely have never seen it before. I have the Houska book but if I had not seen this post wouod have known nothing about it

whats wrong?

Virtually impossible to have that pawn structure in the french, only way it could happen is if black played c6 on move 3 or something which would never happen

Jovanka Houska is explaining this variation in his book: Play the Caro-Kann

Last chapter 13 Unusual Lines and the Plain Bizarre

 https://amzn.to/2vrvzte

Here's another 2, that I played in back to back games!!!

This thread is another forgotten BobbyT masterpiece. Carlsbad = French?

So, I used SF11 to do quick analysis on my phone. 4.....Nc6 is the best move to play against that position. Possible continuation is completely fine for black.

Another possible attack and defence.

For g4 push, go back to Bd7!!!  Bg6 is dead.

And go attack with h5!! against g4. White will play g5, and then black play g6, e6 and get a good knight outpost on f5!!

Very critical outpost.

This is incredible! Just what I needed. I always get drawish positions against much, much weaker opponents in the mainline.

No need!

Caro-Kann is a very solid opening. 

This unorthodox line ( side line is very interesting as it bring several traps / problems to black.)

I think this line is ok against 3..Ne5

( Ne7 is good to kick out white Kt by f6!)

This idea (Nf3 followed by Ne5 in what is effectively an Exchange Caro-Kann sideline) is seen more often than you might think, with a couple of different move orders. After analyzing Abdumalik-Krush (2019 Cairns Cup), I've become more convinced that Black's strategy of ...Nf6 followed by ...g6 more easily leads to equality than responding with ...Nc6, although I've had good results with that OTB.

e6 is a possible move but 90% of Caro- Kan players wont consider it. They play 1. e4 c6 with the plan to advance LSB in front of pawn chain.

In general, you should consider such move that completely change the strategy of opening when the is absolutely no other available move.

interesting, I will try it, I have some problems against the caro kan