Caro-Kann Advance : 3..c5 4. c4!?

[John Upham]

1 e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c4 appears to have become flavour of the month in CK circles.

Has there been discussion of this in the literature?

I've seen brief mention in "Play the Caro-Kann", Houska
"Caro-Kann Defence : Advance Variation and Gambit System" by Podgaets.

Thanks!

[Keith Arkell]

It's a nuisance for us 3..c5 advocates,although I did see Ivanka win a nice game against it a few months back.

[Ben Purton]

I play the Panov V the caro most of the time!. Keith plays g6 line V it, which you have to know with white to get any sort of edge. Otherwise you give up the d5 pawn for nothing and end up in IQP and little comp.

[John Upham]

Ben,

Do you play the double rook and pawn ending after 6. Sf3 Lg4 etc? Has the jury agreed that the ending is drawn yet?

[Ben Purton]

English annotations please. Well 90% of my FIDE games im happy with a draw.

Ben

[Gavin Strachan]

This particular line is like an accelarated variation version I have faced when people play the Short variation. I personally feel that DxC is a route and it can give the option of the f knight hitting going to f5 or d5. I am no GM, but play the Caro quite a bit. The pieces feel like they get tangled up a little and the knight coming to e7 leaves the c pawn. If white plays f4 then nh6 is good. It is a fun variation.