tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6393640898640561043.post6619718621956218731..comments2024-02-24T12:16:34.475-05:00Comments on Path to Chess Mastery: Annotated Game #105: The Caro-Kann - a dull, positional opening (?)ChessAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231584333139931889noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6393640898640561043.post-82745220768606297192013-09-24T11:51:38.573-04:002013-09-24T11:51:38.573-04:00I just started reading your blog this morning. It...I just started reading your blog this morning. It is great. I think we are in very similar places as far as looking to improve. I noticed in this game on move 8.....Be7 a developing move. This can't be bad and Bb4 is implying you are willing to exchange the bishop for knight giving up the bishop pair. I never would do that either without compensation. I've been reading the Jerry Silman books on imbalances and it appears there is an imbalance here in pawn structure. Not to be mistaken for a weakness according the Silman, just a difference to design a plan around. The state of the pawn structure shows and isolated d-pawn for white and to work against it Silman suggests black should first control the square in front of it, the d5 square. Then exchange some minor pieces and leave at least the queen and a rook to win it. White needs to keep the minor pieces on the board so their dynamic potential (increased potential activity due to the open/half open files around it) can compensate for the potential weakness of the isolated pawn. White needs to do something with the activity or be able to support the pawn push. <br /><br />I am a hopefully improving intermediate player and this is only my interpretation of the Silman lesson. To the diagram after 8. Be2 from white. Right now, it's black to move and the knight on b8 or the bishop on f8 should be developed. To go with the black plan of controlling d5, the f8 bishop (dark squared bishop) can not directly influence that square, but it can take away a white piece that can, the c3 Knight. That's why I like Bb4, not just because it develops a piece, but it could be useful in the overall plan against the isolani. <br /><br />Now we have to look at what will happen if the question is put to the bishop either with 9. 0-0 or 9. a3. Say white responds to 8...Bb4 with 9. 0-0. 9....Bxc3, 10. bxc3. This ruins the plan on the isolated pawn, but there's more. Now white has a backward c-pawn and an isolated a-pawn. <br /><br />Silman suggests control the square in front of a backward pawn as well. As long as c3-c4 can be prevented and c4 can be controlled by black, the backward c-pawn should give black winning chances in the endgame. If it can advance safely, black gains nothing and gives white the bishop pair. jeichmjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12435330505296765088noreply@blogger.com