Need backup for Caro-Kann?

Ozzie, the French seems like a natural fit... if you're playing c6 you're okay with space problems and a patient game in exchange for good pawns, good endgame... and that's the French, only more-so.  I like the CK too, I'm just learning it though... the French with black has always seemed to me like an opening where you need some theory even against an un-booked-up good player improvising, or you're in hot-water fast.

Somebody mentioned the Petrov and that's a really interesting idea IMO.

I haven't seen it written, but it was in  one of Roman's Dzidzichashvili's tapes. I'll watch it and post it sooner or later.

If I faced ...b5 I'd probably play a3, just because (clearly) black is itching to play ...b4, and that is the type of player I am. It seems as though the extra moves ...b5 and a3 favor white, since without those moves black freely plays ...dxe4 but now dxe4 just doesn't "look" as good.

yeah, it's not passive. White's center is very open to attack, especially in the advance variation. In the winawer, black gets alot of counterplay. White may be attacking first, but that doesn't mean that black won't. He usually can play on both sides of the board.

I don't think the French suits a Caro-Kann player. It suits more a KID player. The goal of the Caro is to get a solid position on all flanks, with no weaknesses except a bit less space. Becoming a French expert means that you have to be comfortable "giving away" one flank while attacking on the opposite side. To the French players: am I off base here?

I like the Petroff, the Berlin Ruy Lopez, the Alekhine, the Scandinavian, the Philidor all as suggestions. Not in any particular order.

well I do like the kings indian.

Do other French players that you know also like the KID? Granted - I also like the KID, but only because I know so much about it from playing the white side for years. But I haven't played the white side of the French for years, I've basically never played it. So if I started playing the French, my performance rating would probably drop several hundred points... :-)

I hated playing the exchange French until I found this new setup.  This is a new sharp line I learned.

I hope i got it right.

I understand the setup you're trying to make, but in that particular line, black can just play ...Nxd4 pretty early on. But again, I understand that you are just trying to illustrate a setup with some asymmetry in the position (castling opposite).

Yeah well you know what i mean. The moves may not be right, but the idea behind it is there.

Yes I know what you meant.

Some people think the exchange was a problem, that a weaker player can force a draw against a stronger one. But in fact, in my database black wins more exchanges, most likely because they are against weaker players but obviously black can make the position unbalanced if he wants.

ozzie_c_cobblepot,When a chess player hears "Caro-Kann" the first thought is "oh crap,that will be a boring,strategical game(((" but ...b5 is a surprise to some players and they make some mistakes in openings and your position is just great

northsea: So it has surprise value but is dubious? I wouldn't play it myself, since the majority of my games are against 1800-2200 players.

ozzie_c_cobblepot:i don't mean an opening surprise,just changing your playing style a little and playing more aggresivly than usual makes oponent a bit more careful and you have more chances for the initiative

gotcha

Bronstein-Larsen Variation (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6!? 5.Nxf6 gxf6!?) is also a bit crazy

How does everyone handle the g8 Knight when white has pawns on e5 and f4? Go for Ne7-f5, or Ne7-g6?

Almost never Ne7-g6. Either Ne7-f5, Nh6-f5, or Ne7-c6.

Yes,I think that Ne7(Nh6)-f5 is the best plan