Isn't the second game posted the current mainline caro??
Need a solid and positional response to the Caro-Kann Advance Short Variation
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Thanks for the games IM pfren.
In the first game, maybe ...0-0 isn't best, since the advance of the g & h pawns already weakens the Kside. In the games I mentioned in an earlier post it appeared ...0-0-0 might be better suited. If White wants to then attack Qside the time to realign might allow Black's space advantage and eventual open files to get there first.
The second game might be a example on what Black shouldn't do with the QN. It appeared it went ...Nd7, back ...Nb8, ...Nc6, back...Nb8, back ...Nd7, then finally exchanged on c5 giving White a seemingly very nice outpost. All between moves 5 to 22 or 35% of Black's play. Given the loss of time and maybe bad exchange, whatever Black's plan was it probably can't be judged as very productive.
Yes, I also think 11...0-0 is quite risky. However, many correspondence players pick their moves by just letting an engine running for a couple of days and blindly trusting its findings, and an engine is dumb enough to judge that castling here is a safe choice...
The choice of the losing move 13...Nxg6? could be avoided if Black would do some careful branching by hand. After 13...Nxg6, engines suggest a lot of nonsense (actually not nonsense, just second rate moves) and the decisive 14.h4! is low on their priority, quite possibly due to the horizon effect.
14. h4! certainly punished what I thought was critical tempo losses 12...Bg6 and 13...Nxg6.
But as you mentioned 11...0-0 already put Black in a tough spot. After 12. Bd3, I'd take a long think if I was Black. I'd guess one option is to try for some Qside counter with 12...c5 aiming to break up the center and take whatever advantage there is with White's B on c1 and the N on b3.
I'd leave Black's B where it is and if White Bxf5 might even go with ...exf5 looking for f4 so White has to weaken own K cover if wanting to crack open the Kside. Without the White KB, it's unclear whether Black's light square weakness by the K can be easily exploited.
16...c4 appeared a big mistake 16... cxd4 might've been more natural. Maybe at least hindering the very nice attack you put together.
Hmm. How about 11...Kf8 as a way of castling without forsaking the h6 pawn? (Idea of ...Kg8 ...R(a8)f8) Or is that too exotic?
GreenCastleBlock wrote:
Hmm. How about 11...Kf8 as a way of castling without forsaking the h6 pawn? (Idea of ...Kg8 ...R(a8)f8) Or is that too exotic?
White's space advantage allows him the luxury of striking at both sides of the board. Sticking your pieces at the kingside like that begs for something like c2-c4, probably after the typical Bd2. There are a lot of things Black must avoid, not just being mated on the kingside.
In general, those positions are a pleasure to play as white. Too bad I can't find something really convincing after 3...c5, whatever advantage I've found for white is purely academical.
Gunkovich wrote:
Lmao Skynet, you play the Caro Kann, stop complaining about not having a good enough position, you blunder on move one.
Your attempt at trolling is among the most creative and breathtakingly original. Your time on this site is well spent.
Aug 9, 2016
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#32
Cyrus Lakdawala recommends Nh6 and after white captures and doubles the h pawns play f6 surprising your opponent who is usually waiting for the thematic ...c5. The doubled pawns aren't as bad as you'd think and the opening is surprisingly playable. Although you can't expect a boring series of moves for the Short variation as its sole purpose is to squeeze such a try to death...
Well, yes, there is nothing preventing you to do something like ...Ne7, ...Nd7 if necessary, ...h6, ...Bh7 and ...Ng6, followed by ...Be7 and ...0-0. You have done all that- great! In reality, it's just the beginning of your problems: You have given white a free hand to develop and consolidate his space advantage, and now you will have to suffer his aggression. There are even some GM games played like that- but...
Almost every opening (Caro Kann included) offers plenty of opportunities for active play, which should not be ignored. In other terms, being passive in the opening stage is in reality a very risky business!