TL Chess Match 3 - Page 7

Spoiler the whole thing? Anyway yes, jfazz does have something prepared against the 6. h4 line. Read the last chess game to know what it is.

Would you have a link to an explanation of why h4 is the best response? Do we actually want an early trade down of minor pieces? From the looks of those games that you linked, it seems like black has tried to play an aggressive game, which I think has led to his demise. In my point of view, black should play the caro by looking to trade down when possible into a favorable endgame. Black's chances lie in the endgame in the caro. Yes, black can pull off some decent middle game threats (with 0-0-0), but that also allows white chances. Black is already better in an endgame, so I think there is no harm in him trading down. We know jfazz is a positional player, unlike lightman, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a tradedown.

That's exactly what I've been trying to find since quite a while. Your post finally pushed me to look for it again, and I inferred the answer from this:

http://www.ericschiller.com/pdf/Caro-Kann Basics.pdf

Down at page 18, with 3 games as an example. I haven't played through the example games myself, but I think the document clearly dictates our goals as White in this game (though I think a draw is far more likely for obvious reasons).

1. As black I would castle queenside in the 6. h4 caro if I wanted to play for an endgame.
2. Kingside attack sounds nice. If black castles kingside. I did mention that a piece sacrifice is probably in order for this to happen though, and sure enough, this game illustrates that point.

Game 1. First off, it does use the 6. h4 line, but does not follow up with the bishop trade. I'd probably categorize this opening more with the 6. Nf3 lines, as the light squared bishops do not come off the board. This game doesn't say anything about the 6. h4 mainline.

Game 2. Ah a 6. h4 mainline. Looks nice for white, since for some reason Black seems to be undeveloped. How did that ever happen? Anyway, sure, the advanced h5 pawn has a good effect. Unfortunately I don't know how we can realistically entice black into this kind of position.

Game 3. Exploiting the light squares with pins. Interesting. I noticed a few of these ideas in the other games you linked. The idea can be used with the Nf3 lines I think though. Although yes, it would require a light square bishop exchange, which is facilitated through the h4 line.

Game 4. Not really utilizing the advanced h4 pawn.

Games 1 + 4 are the only ones which seem to me that black is playing ok. In games 2 + 3 black seems undeveloped and without a plan. So I'm going to discard those games because I don't think those types of positions will arise in our game.

Games 1 + 4 feature ultra-aggressive plays from white, where black also allows white to play aggressively in return for some counterattacking chances for black. All the games feature 0-0 from black, or the king is left in the center. Games 3 and 4 just seem like terrible play from black, who for some reason plays the rook to g8. These games show specific situations which I doubt will occur in our game. I think 0-0-0 is more likely, along with a slow positional maneuvering game, as opposed to a sharp tactical game.

I can easily see black with 0-0-0, Qc7, Bd6, Nd7, Re8, Nf6, leaving us with little to attack on the kingside.

So when we play 6. h4, we better find some ways to force an offensive tactical game. But that requires us to force black to castle queenside. Which we can't really do, unless you have some suggestions.