Caro has been getting on my nerves these days. Used to see Sicillian a lot before everyone started parroting Levys advice. At least I can pick Fantasy Caro and Panov attack to spice the game up, though I will check on your vid.
Any other advice to turn Caro from a snoozefest to a tactical game? Tal variation maybe?
I know a few other little tactics, but these in the vid are the main ones I use. Sometimes I play the knight out first to force a variation. Then if they end up playing the Caro-Kann, it’s quite good to deal with it. The best move for black is to move the knight to e7 but most of the time your opponents won’t see this. I may do a vid if the black do this position but I thought these are some good tactics for white players.
Caro has been getting on my nerves these days. Used to see Sicillian a lot before everyone started parroting Levys advice. At least I can pick Fantasy Caro and Panov attack to spice the game up, though I will check on your vid.
Any other advice to turn Caro from a snoozefest to a tactical game? Tal variation maybe?
The variations you mentioned would also be my main picks.
These seem to give black the most problems.
Agreed about everyone parroting Levy's advice. They are just sold on this idea of "play simple, easy stuff like the London and Caro Kann because you're not good enough".
Caro has been getting on my nerves these days. Used to see Sicillian a lot before everyone started parroting Levys advice. At least I can pick Fantasy Caro and Panov attack to spice the game up, though I will check on your vid.
Any other advice to turn Caro from a snoozefest to a tactical game? Tal variation maybe?
The variations you mentioned would also be my main picks.
These seem to give black the most problems.
Agreed about everyone parroting Levy's advice. They are just sold on this idea of "play simple, easy stuff like the London and Caro Kann because you're not good enough".
Which I find really weird because playing Caro as black seems much more trouble than e4 e5, to me. London system and Vienna I could understand at least. I don't understand the easy opening mentality. How is that the road to improvement?
Honestly I used to hate every time I see Caro Kann, Short variation made me think of my life decisions. Now its much more fun and challenging. I haven't played the Tal variation yet but I think it has lots of venom from the quick glance I had.
I used to play the Two Knights against the Caro-Kann. Later I switched to the KIA (1. e4 c6 2. d3)
Which I find really weird because playing Caro as black seems much more trouble than e4 e5, to me. London system and Vienna I could understand at least. I don't understand the easy opening mentality. How is that the road to improvement?
Honestly I used to hate every time I see Caro Kann, Short variation made me think of my life decisions. Now its much more fun and challenging. I haven't played the Tal variation yet but I think it has lots of venom from the quick glance I had.
The Short variation is technically the best but it's more quiet. The engine doesn't like the Tal variation as much but the scoreboard tells a different story.
The complications just work out for white a lot of the time.
There was a strong player I met who really seemed to enjoy tearing apart the Caro Kann and his preferences were these 2, the Fantasy and the Advance Tal.
My preference is the panov against it. Certainly the 2 knights, when Bg4 pins the Q. Then pxd5, Nxd5, Qb3, Bxf3, gxf3...
However, IMHO, seemingly low rated plp still get out of this as black... Just had another game today with this line. always fun thought :-)
OTB this gives me high win rates however as white.
Regards,
ThkTwice
That's great to hear you've done well against it!
I think we were just discussing some other options which might better fit our styles. I've found aggressive players typically prefer these variations I've mentioned.
Fantasy does very well as black very often plays into a particular line which is very good for white.
Of course there are other ways of playing for black but it can still be aggressive. White can often play in English Attack style.
That's great to hear you've done well against it!
I think we were just discussing some other options which might better fit our styles. I've found aggressive players typically prefer these variations I've mentioned.
Fantasy does very well as black very often plays into a particular line which is very good for white.
Of course there are other ways of playing for black but it can still be aggressive. White can often play in English Attack style.
I actually had a game in this exact variation, although I shamefully missed mate in one, the game was very good other than that.
For some reason I don’t get Caro Kann players that often even though I am at preschool level in terms of chess so I thought I would see more caro kann players
Tal and panov are dreadful if u don't have lines prepared for it
How would this compare with the main lines?
Like there is all this stuff with the main line:
What would you recommend?
I actually had a game in this exact variation, although I shamefully missed mate in one, the game was very good other than that.
Ah yeah move 18. Qe6#. This game demonstrates the potential in this line though as the f file pressure becomes significant.
And Bg4 can be such a common mistake which can be punished in a lot of lines.
I had a miniature a bit like that in the Panov Attack.
We both missed mate in 2 (so bad, I'm still cringing at Bf4 lol), but I saw it on the next move.
A few tacticts to beat the Caro-Kann
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