Expert: Len Molden - 5/16/2007

Question
In the Caro-Kann, 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4!?
how should Black proceed so that he does not get cramped by the advancing White K-side pawns (e.g. 4 ... Bg6 5. h4)?
Thanks.

Answer
This is a line that can be troublesome for a Caro-Kann player who doesn't know it.  It's not one of the major lines but is covered in this book I recommend:

http://www.chessmastery.com/caro-kann.html

Two games that show how Black can play with correct play are:

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Be4 5.f3 Bg6 6.h4 h5 7.g5 e6 8.Bd3 Ne7 9.Ne2 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 g6 11.Nf4 Nd7 12.0-0 Nf5 13.Ng2 c5 14.c3 Qb6 15.Rd1 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nxe5 17.Qc3 Nxd4 18.Be3 Bc5 19.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4 Qxd4+ 21.Qxd4 Nxf3+ 22.Kf2 Nxd4 23.Nc3 Kd7 24.Rc1 Rac8 25.Rf1 Nf5 26.Ke2 Ng3+ 27.Ke1 Nxf1 28.Kxf1 f5 29.gxf6 Rhf8 30.Ke2 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Be4 5.f3 Bg6 6.e6 fxe6 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Qd6 9.Ne2 e5 10.dxe5 Qxe5 11.Nbc3 Nd7 12.Bf4 Qf6 13.g5 Qg6 14.Qe3 h6 15.Nd4 hxg5 16.Bg3 Nh6 17.0-0-0 Nf5 18.Qd3 Nh4 19.Qe2 Rh6 20.Rhe1 Kf7 21.Qf2 e5 22.Bxe5 Nxe5 23.Rxe5 Bd6 24.Re6 Qh5 25.Rde1 Rxe6 26.Rxe6 Bf4+ 27.Kb1 Nxf3 28.Nf5 Qg4 29.Re7+ Kf6 30.Ne3 Qg1+ 31.Qxg1 Nxg1 32.Nexd5+ cxd5 33.Nxd5+ Kg6 34.Rxb7 Bxh2 35.c4 Nf3 36.c5 Nd4 37.Ne7+ Kh7 38.c6 Ne6 39.Nf5 Rf8 40.Ne3 0-1

Even 4...Bd7 is playable too: 5.c4 h5 6.g:h5 Bf5 7.Nc3 e6 8.Nge2 BNg4 10.Qb3 Qb6 with an unclear position.

It's better to prevent 4...Be4 which is why this isn't a main line.  It's the reason White plays Nc3 in the main line of the advance variation before playing g4.

Regards,

Len Molden