The Fantasy Variation - Chess Forums

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 24, 2012

0

#1

The Fantasy Variation is one of the best opening choices for club play. With it, White accepts possibilities of Black equalizing in exchange for the chance to demolish Black's defenses. White intends to maintain his pawn center and quickly develop.After the natural exchange in the center, 3... dxe4 4. fxe4, 4... e5 is suggested as Black's best path to equality. But after 5. Nf3, Black must avoid the natural 5... exd4, hoping for 6. Nxd4 Qh4+, because after 6. Bc4!, Black is in trouble. The following game has been played several times, three times by GM Joe Gallagher alone:

Perhaps the best chance for Black to equalize is to keep the position closed with 3... e6 or 3... g6, as the White player is often looking specifically for an open position. The move 3... e5 is Black's most aggressive choice, as it keeps the position open, but allows attacking chances for White.

IM pfren

Sep 24, 2012

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#2

Yohan_Saboba wrote:

The Fantasy Variation is one of the best opening choices for club play. With it, White accepts possibilities of Black equalizing in exchange for the chance to demolish Black's defenses. White intends to maintain his pawn center and quickly develop. After 3... dxe4, White must avoid recapturing fxe4, as this leads to a quick loss after 4... Qh4+. Instead, 4. Bc4! is an aggressive option that can quickly send Black to floundering, focusing on f7 as a target for attack. Black's best chances are in keeping the position closed with 3... e6 or 3... g6, but this leads to equality and nothing more, and only if played correctly.

How on earth white is "developing quickly" following 3.f3?

Isn't 4...Qh4+ a slightly illegal move after 4.fe4?

Factly, Black's easiest plan to equality is 3...fe4 4.fe4 e5 (see the analogous video by GM Sam Shankland on this site).

Following your suggested 4.Bc4 white already has to fight for equality after 4...e5.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 24, 2012

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#3

Sorry, that was a typo... I'll re-post this tomorrow, correctly... Thanks for catching that!

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 24, 2012

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#4

But you missed that the plan is to first maintain the center, then develop quickly. And keeping the position open only works if Black is very knowledgeable about the opening, otherwise there are a lot of quick traps.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#5

There we go, now that's right.

Samantha212

Sep 25, 2012

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#6

Thanks guys!! Very informative

IM pfren

Sep 25, 2012

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#7

What is right?

For one thing, only an idiot would play as Black 3.f3 de4 4.fe4 e5 5.Nf3 ed4?

The right move is of course keeping the e5 square while developing with 5...Bg4, followed by ...Nbd7 and so on.

I guess you did not bother checking Shankland's video- did you?

You really should, it's quite good for post-newbie players.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#8

Did I not say that exd4 was wrong? Did you read what I wrote?

IM pfren

Sep 25, 2012

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#9

Yohan_Saboba wrote:

Did I not say that exd4 was wrong? Did you read what I wrote?

Yes indeed. But what's the point of posting games where Black is playing blunders?

Black's best is the above line with ...de4 and ...e5, or 3...Qb6, if he likes going adventurous. 3...e6 and 3...g6 are not nearly as good.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#10

What is the difference here? You are prepared. "Only an idiot" includes anyone who has not prepared for this opening.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#11

And even when Black is prepared, the opening is still sound enough for White.

IM pfren

Sep 25, 2012

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#12

Name a random opening. Black is in deep trouble if he is not "prepared".

The main thing here is evaluating 3.f3, and the fact is that Black is very comfortable by playing natural developing moves. Playing for a win is probably a different beast, but I don't see how this variation can trouble a not-so-well-prepared Black, who's just playing sane chess.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#13

By the way, one of the correct move choices for Black after 3... dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 is likely 5... Be6.

IM pfren

Sep 25, 2012

0

#14

Yohan_Saboba wrote:

By the way, one of the correct move choices for Black after 3... dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 is likely 5... Be6.

Not bothered to watch the Shankland video, it seems. While it's aimed at post-newbies, which is a click above your level, still it's quite easy to follow.

Regards.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#15

Look, there is no need to be uncivil pfren ... Stop insulting me or you can leave.

Yohan_Saboba

Sep 25, 2012

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#16

And thank you, powerlevel, for pointing out the obvious to pfren.

johnyoudell

Sep 25, 2012

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#17

Reads pretty insulting to me.

deadastronauts

Sep 25, 2012

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#18

It's appropriate to be insulting sometimes. It keeps forums self regulating. Post poor moves and crappy analyse and someone will call you on it.

atarw

Sep 25, 2012

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#19

No, its just that we have a good understanding of chess, but you have an amazing one.

:)

(THIS IS SARCASM SO NO TROLLING)

moonnie

Sep 26, 2012

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#20

As someone who played Caro Kann a lot in blitz games I can say that the fantasy variation is played about once in every 10 games. This means that every normal black player over 1500 is probably prepared better than white as i doubt caro kann is played once in every 10 games.

You (the OP) suggest the fantasy as a almost forced win for white in the Caro Kann while Pfren pointed out that this is not the case and that there are several way a sensible black player can get a good game (and most black players are sensible as it get played a lot so they are booked on it)

Personally I was always very happy with the fantasy because it gives you both an equal game and a psycological edge because you know your oponent does not like normal Caro Kann setups :)