The subjective Caro-Kan experience
What's nice about the Caro-Kan (1.e4 c6) is that you as whiteplayer often know that you are going to play the Caro-Kan even before move one. A player of the Caro-Kan has the habit to put his horses with the snout (am I offending Hippophyles?) in the direction of their own king.
This indicates that a Caro-Kanplayer observes the world as a flat plane. You can see this by that he never goes straight to his goal, but moves more sideward. As if he was a crab.
If their knights have to chose between a move forwards or sidewards, than the latter has the preferation. The movements of his knights look like the pincers of a crab.
You see, I live my preoccupations to the full.
At playing the Caro-Kan belongs a special mentality. Chess hasn’t to be beautiful, as long as it gains points. "With white we try to win, with black a draw will do."
The move 1. ... c6 indicates a person who draws the game to his own territory immediately.
All theory of real openings is avoided this way. Everything serves the one main goal: trade all pieces off and make a draw with black.
What I have done for weird moves to let my queen escape from blacks pursuit-madness!
Besides, you don’t know for sure that you are going to play the Caro-Kan. It can be that other opening of similar twodimensional picture of the world: the French. (1. e4 e6)
As you see frustation and anger of years come above for my own incapability to punish such destructive ways of playing. It’s difficult to play chess when you are haunted by thoughts as: "This is really poor", "People who play like that deserve punishment." or "It should be forbidden."
Anyway, here is my game that I lost last friday at my local chessclub.
This indicates that a Caro-Kanplayer observes the world as a flat plane. You can see this by that he never goes straight to his goal, but moves more sideward. As if he was a crab.
If their knights have to chose between a move forwards or sidewards, than the latter has the preferation. The movements of his knights look like the pincers of a crab.
You see, I live my preoccupations to the full.
At playing the Caro-Kan belongs a special mentality. Chess hasn’t to be beautiful, as long as it gains points. "With white we try to win, with black a draw will do."
The move 1. ... c6 indicates a person who draws the game to his own territory immediately.
All theory of real openings is avoided this way. Everything serves the one main goal: trade all pieces off and make a draw with black.
What I have done for weird moves to let my queen escape from blacks pursuit-madness!
Besides, you don’t know for sure that you are going to play the Caro-Kan. It can be that other opening of similar twodimensional picture of the world: the French. (1. e4 e6)
As you see frustation and anger of years come above for my own incapability to punish such destructive ways of playing. It’s difficult to play chess when you are haunted by thoughts as: "This is really poor", "People who play like that deserve punishment." or "It should be forbidden."
Anyway, here is my game that I lost last friday at my local chessclub.
| TCT | # prbs | circle 1 | circle 2 | circle 3 | circle 4 | circle 5 | circle 6 | circle 7 |
| Stp3 | 540 | 96% | 97% | 97% | 99% | 99% | NA | NA |
| Stp4 | 560 | 94% | 95% | 95% | 97% | 99% | NA | NA |
| Stp5 | 580 | 75% | 84% | 330 done | - | - | - | - |
Actually, by move 31, I think you have some compensation (Because you have the queenside pawn majority and the he has a semi-"bad" bishop). I think, my plan in this position would be to swap pieces (specially the rooks) to trade into a knight-bishop endgame. Then try to create a passed-pawn on the queen-side.I dont know if it will word, but the games on the book I'm studying actually implements such a plan, so it might not be bad.
ReplyDeleteA tempo schlucking variant in Caro Kann: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. f3. If Black takes the pawn, he may come under heavy attack. Maybe worth a try.
ReplyDeleteMouse, that is what I used to call Margriets Gambit. I played it for a year but it has its drawbacks. Especially when blacks bishop arrives at f5. So I dropped it in favour of this line. My post didn't make clear that I now am very happy to play the CK or the French because I have some interesting gambits prepaired for them. In this case I just transposed two moves by mistake.
ReplyDeleteYou can also try the Panov Attack (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 and 5.Nc3).
ReplyDeleteI took a quick look at your game and noticed you were avoiding theory right away. I've done this myself in the past, but lately I have been thinking about moving back towards mainline theory since often my efforts to avoid main lines remind me why they are not the main lines. Recently I have been getting miserable middlegame positions that I can save via tactics (thanks to the MDLM plan!) but I would prefer not to suffer all the same.
The "fantasy" variation noted by mousetrapper is fun (similar to the Blackmar-Diemer gambit, another fun opening), but if you've played it and don't like it, maybe the Panov Attack will suit you better.
The Panov is fun, and most Caro-Kann players hate facing it. Much like French players hate seeing the exchange variation (which I don't play against the French). Plus it is a good exercise in learning how to play with isolated pawns. Since you play the King's Gambit it would probably fit right in with your love of open games.
ReplyDeleteFirstly I consider Caro-Kan an open game. Therefore speed in development is a must. You should have avoided the exchange of your white squared bishop with his knight. Also you made an early queen development to a square prone to an attack. I would have preferred a more subtle continuation with 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3...
ReplyDelete5. Ng5 could have won the game.
ReplyDelete