Best Answer To Caro-Kann

I would think 4 out of 5 GM's recommend using a real board to study chess.

Well, there is THAT too xD

Is attempting to improve on holding the whole thing in your head and making moves there a worthwhile endeavor?

Visualization? Yup. I played blindfold chess for a year and my rating went up 400 points.

The Panov-attack is very good.

1.e4-c6 2.d4-d5 3.exd5-cxd5 4.c4

And today's lesson was: Don't tell a noob how noob he is because he's going to troll your thread in response.

Hey Phylar, let's play chess and see in practical who's got the best study method? I challenge you.

Blitz 10 min

Expertise87, one thing that you said is very interesting, how can I look at a gm database only of the last 5 years? That would be helpful.

The logic in popularity of the third move at GM level today is explained by 25-moves long variations.

If you want to decide between 3.Nc3/Nd2 (I never have seen anything else than 3...exd5 anyways) and 3.e5, you have no use of popularity at GM level, except if you are willing to dive into those 25-move lines. Don't choose by percentages, but by the positions that occur once you are out of book.

Yes I'm willing to dive in the lines... 

Ok, still waiting the how-to

(most users prefer to give the "what-to")

Database software such as chessbase, chessDB and scid allow this type of search functionality.

I know, but I haven't yet been able to download a GM database. Do you know where can I download one?

The Week in Chess, then use the database software to filter just GM games.

Perhaps it's good to look at the man who's probably played against the Caro in recent years: Karjakin

He has always played 3.e5, but recently used 3.Nc3 (I believe In Norway). These two moves are the main lines these days and are probably about equal.

3. e5, the Advance Variation and 3. Nc3/Nd2, the Classical mainline, are by far the hardest for black to deal with from a theoretical standpoint.  As a Caro Kann player myself, I find the Short variation of the Advance line to be the hardest to face... the lines are very hard to remember for some reason.

On the other hand... it's much easier to win as black against the advance variation than it is against the Classical mainline... where white can often get positions where he's playing for two results.

Of course the Panov and even the Exchange variation are legitimate too I guess...

I just went to the week in chess, but couldn't figure out how to download the gm database, sorry.

I agree with ih8sens, as when I was studying the caro, I found the creativity behind the short line so difficult to remember and play against.

You can get to Caro-Kann from a queen pawn opening by offering to transpose, but you can't force White to play into Caro-Kann -- e.g. 1. d4 c6, 2. e4 d5.  If White persists with c4 after c6, you usually end up in a Slav or Semi-Slav, which is quite playable for Black.  I haven't found any severe weaknesses of playing c6 in response to d4, although you obviously give up the ability to play other QGD lines such as NimzoIndian, which some might prefer over Slav.

I often play Caro-Kann against e4, and in my experience, the higher rated players tend to play the advance variation.  Theoretically, this is one of the strongest, if not the strongest lines, under current theory.  Of course, theory is constantly evolving; I recall that 30-40 years ago, the advance variation was not favored by GMs, but that apparently has changed over the last few decades.  Moreover, just because a line is considered strong by GMs does not necessarily make it a good opening at lower levels -- either because the theory is too complicated for a beginner or because others might be better prepared.

I for one feel fairly comfortable playing against the advance variation because I have played against it so often.  When lower rated players play that variation against me, I tend to win (not 100% but a clear majority) because they make mistakes that I can spot.  I also feel fairly comfortable against the Panov and the Exchange variations.  On the other hand, I feel uncomfortable against the Fantasy variation (even thought it is theoretically inferior to the Advance variation) largely because I face it so infrequently and have not really studied it.

I think that it is a mistake, in general, for lower rated players (such as me) to copy the variations that GMs play because that may not be the best opening for that player's skill level, style, etc.  You should pick an opening that you understand and caters to your playing strengths.

Yes, 3.Nc3 is theoretically best, and I agree with Sveshnikov in his two books on the advance.  3.Nc3 is best, 3.e5 is fine if you want a simpler game, and I personally think 3.Nd2 is a mistake specifically because of the line I put in the previous post, namely 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5! 4.exd5 (4.Ngf3 Nf6 goes back to the closed lines, but now White is forced into the Korchnoi Gambit rather than the stronger 7.Ne2) exd5! (4...Qxd5 is basically a draw with best play) 5.Ngf3 (5.Bb5+, White's other major alternative, can be easily answered by the temporary pawn sacrifice via 5...Bd7 instead of the inferior 5...Nc6) Nf6! with a strong game for Black provided you understand how to handle IQP positions.

However, you still get GMs that support the Tarrasch.  My humble opinion is that 3.Nc3 is best, 3.e5 is respectable, 3.Nd2 is a mistake, and 3.exd5 is a draw offer and I question why you are even playing chess if all you want is a draw (unless it's the final round and a draw wins the tournament for you, then 3.exd5 get 2 exclams!)

Can anyone tell me why the Tal Variation of the Caro Kann is no longer played that much?Im talking about

e4 c6

d4 d5

e5 Bf5

h4?!

I play this most of the time and black is in all sorts of traps.If he evades all of it,you still have that space advantage.Am I missing something?Why isnt this more played?

I don't know what lines are considered best by the current GMs, but there are many lines that are playable. Find a line that suits your playing style and gives positions you like to play, and that is the line that you would probably do best with, even if it isn't the best theoretically.