B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3...g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3)

I think that it is time to switch from blitz games to my correspondence games for awhile. This is a game that has been shared previously, but due to the changes I have made, it no longer fit in the post it was in, so it will be here from now on. Now that I have searched for the position after 1.e4 using the reference tab in ChessBase 12, so that I would see how many games there are featuring each move in my reference database, the result changes each time, I have done it three times now. I have no idea why this happens, but it is really disappointing as it makes using my reference database in this way pointless as I can't rely on the results. I think I will be using the LiveBook for these maybe from now on. The move 1.e4 appears in 809460 games in the LiveBook, with a result of 54% and Elo-average 2422. The reply 1...c6 (61474 games, result 54%, Elo-average 2435) is the 4th most played move. More played moves are 1...c5 (374627 games, result 52%, Elo-average 2431), 1...e5 (172695 games, result 55%, Elo-average 2440) and 1...e6 (104206 games, result 55%, Elo-average 2417). My second move d4 has appeared in 50284 games, with a result of 54% and Elo-average 2429 and it is the most popular continuation in Caro-Kann. Woodzulu continued with the most played move, 2...d5 (48789 games, result 54%, Elo-average 2438).

I have, for some time now, played 3.Nc3 (14249 games, result 52%, Elo-average 2419) in this position because I do not really like the positions that arise in case I play 3.e5 (14910 games, result 56%, Elo-average 2456) instead. I played that pawn advance for awhile until I realized that 3.Nc3 suits my playing style better. Woodzulu played 3...g6 (1544 games, result 55%, Elo-average 2391), which is actually the second most played move in the position, but it is much rarer move than 3...dxe4 (13254 games, result 52%, Elo-average 2442). I then played the rather rarely seen move 4.Be3 (38 games, result 42%, Elo-average 2316). It is the 6th most often occurred move. More often seen moves are 4.Nf3 (669 games, result 55%, Elo-average 2376), 4.h3 (609 games, result 58%, Elo-average 2385), 4.e5 (280 games, result 55%, Elo-average 2377), 4.f3 (240 games, result 59%, Elo-average 2412) and 4.Bf4 (47 games, result 47%, Elo-average 2382). Interestingly my opponent then took on e4 instead of playing 4...Bg7 (431 games, result 48%, Elo-average 2416), which is the most played move in the position. The game continuation 4...dxe4 (11 games, result 36%, Elo-average 2381) is the second most popular move. Not surprisingly, in all of those 11 games the reply was 5.Nxe4. Woodzulu's 5th move Qb6 was a novelty. Moves that have seen some play are 5...Nh6 (3 games, result 17%, Elo-average 2426), 5...Bg7 (3 games, result 50%, Elo-average 2357), 5...Nf6 (2 games, result 25%, Elo-average 2360) and 5...Nd7 (1 game, result 100%, Elo-average 2400).

[Event "atadros's mini-tournament V"] [Site "http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?"] [Date "2016.02.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "woodzulu"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "1759"] [BlackElo "2003"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 {B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3...g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6} dxe4 5. Nxe4 Qb6 $146 {0.66/24} (5... Bg7 $11 {0.09/27 } 6. Bc4 Nh6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Bxh6 Bxh6 9. Bxf7+ Kf8 10. Bb3 Kg7 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Rf8 13. Qc3 {1-0 (13) Loverdos,S-Kontarinis,A Kallithea 1977}) (5... Nh6 6. Ng3 (6. c3 Bg7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nf5 9. Bf4 a5 10. Bd3 a4 11. O-O Nd6 12. Rfe1 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Nd7 14. h3 Nf6 15. Bd3 Be6 16. c4 Re8 17. Rad1 Qc8 18. Qb4 b5 19. d5 Bxd5 20. cxd5 Nxd5 {Atanasov,P (2305)-Spiridonov,N (2405) Ruse 1978 1/2-1/2 (79)}) 6... Ng4 7. Bc4 Bg7 8. Nf3 Nxe3 9. fxe3 Qa5+ 10. c3 O-O 11. O-O Nd7 12. e4 b5 13. Bb3 Nb6 14. Rf2 Nc4 15. Qe2 Bh6 16. Bxc4 bxc4 17. Ne5 Qa6 18. Nxc4 Be6 19. Ne5 Qb6 20. b3 {Babula,M-Opocensky,K Harrachov 1970 1-0 (33)}) ( 5... Nf6 6. Nxf6+ exf6 7. Qd2 h5 8. O-O-O Be6 9. Kb1 b5 10. Ne2 Nd7 11. Nf4 Nb6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Bd3 Kf7 14. c3 Qd5 15. f3 Nc4 16. Qe2 Nxe3 17. Qxe3 Bh6 18. Qe2 a5 19. Be4 Qd6 20. Rhe1 {Trent,L (2436)-Meissner,F (2333) Katowice 2017 1/ 2-1/2 (79)}) 6. b3 {-0.13/27} (6. Nf3 $14 {0.66/24}) 6... Nf6 {0.49/21} (6... Bf5 $11 {-0.13/27} 7. Bd3 Bxe4 8. Bxe4 Nf6) 7. Bd3 {-0.20/28} (7. Nxf6+ $14 { 0.49/21} exf6 8. Qd2) 7... Nd5 {0.25/27} (7... Nxe4 {-0.20/28 should be considered.} 8. Bxe4 Nd7) 8. c4 {-0.85/23} (8. Bd2 $11 {0.25/27}) 8... Nxe3 $17 9. fxe3 Na6 {0.06/27} (9... f5 $17 {-0.71/23} 10. c5 Qd8) 10. Nf3 $11 c5 { 0.34/25} (10... Qa5+ $11 {-0.14/25} 11. Kf2 Bh6) 11. Rc1 {-0.84/23} (11. a3 $14 {0.34/25 stays ahead.}) 11... Bg7 {0.00/24} ({Better is} 11... Bh6 $17 { -0.84/23} 12. Qd2 cxd4) 12. Bb1 {-1.06/24} (12. O-O $11 {0.00/24}) 12... Bg4 { -0.20/26} (12... cxd4 $17 {-1.06/24 Strongly threatening ...f5.} 13. exd4 Bg4) 13. d5 Qa5+ {0.03/26} (13... f5 $17 {-0.78/22} 14. Nc3 Bxf3 15. gxf3 e6) 14. Kf2 {-0.70/23} (14. Qd2 $1 $11 {0.03/26} Qxd2+ 15. Nexd2) 14... Bb2 {0.20/27} ( 14... Nc7 $15 {-0.70/23}) 15. Rc2 $132 {White has counterplay} Qa3 {0.63/25} ( 15... Bg7 $11 {-0.06/23}) 16. Qe2 Bg7 17. Rd2 {0.00/26} (17. Rf1 $14 {0.46/21 feels stronger.}) 17... O-O-O {0.52/27} (17... O-O $11 {0.00/26}) 18. Ng3 { -0.52/24} ({White should play} 18. Rhd1 $14 {0.52/27}) 18... h5 {0.35/25} ( 18... f5 $15 {-0.52/24}) 19. h3 {-0.06/27} (19. Ne4 $14 {0.35/25 is superior.}) 19... h4 {0.46/24} (19... Bxf3 $11 {-0.06/27} 20. gxf3 Nc7) 20. Nf1 {-0.97/24} (20. Ne4 $14 {0.46/24} Bh5 21. Rhd1) 20... Bd7 {0.23/26} (20... Bh5 $17 { -0.97/24}) 21. e4 Bc3 {0.71/24} (21... Nb4 $11 {0.00/27}) 22. Rc2 {-0.42/26} ( 22. Rd3 $16 {0.71/24} Bg7 23. Ne3) 22... Ba1 {0.58/24} (22... Bd4+ $15 { -0.42/26} 23. Nxd4 cxd4) 23. Ne3 $14 Nb4 24. Rd2 Bc3 25. Rdd1 Kb8 {0.84/25} ( 25... Qa6 $11 {0.18/26 remains equal.}) 26. Rhf1 $16 f6 27. Kg1 b6 {1.70/25} ( 27... Qa5 $14 {0.66/27}) 28. Rf2 Rdg8 29. Nc2 {0.71/30} (29. e5 $1 $18 {1.92/24 }) 29... Nxc2 30. Qxc2 {0.15/26} ({White should try} 30. Bxc2 $16 {0.83/23} Rh5 31. Bb1) 30... Qa5 {1.50/23} (30... Bd4 $1 $11 {0.15/26 keeps the balance.}) 31. Re2 $2 {-0.13/26 [#]} (31. e5 $16 {1.50/23}) 31... Rh5 {1.14/24} (31... g5 $1 $11 {-0.13/26}) 32. Rd3 {0.20/29} (32. Re3 $16 {1.14/24} Ba1 33. Qe2) 32... Be5 $11 33. Nxe5 Rxe5 34. Rf3 {-0.82/22} (34. Rd1 $11 {0.28/28}) 34... g5 $1 $17 35. Ref2 g4 36. hxg4 Bxg4 37. Rf4 {-1.47/26} (37. Re3 $15 {-0.62/30}) 37... h3 {-0.54/28} (37... Qe1+ $17 {-1.47/26} 38. Rf1 Qe3+ 39. Qf2 Qc3) 38. Qd2 $1 $15 Qxd2 39. Rxd2 Bd7 {-0.27/34} (39... Reg5 $17 {-0.81/26}) 40. Rff2 {-1.25/32 } (40. Bd3 $11 {-0.27/34}) 40... Kc7 41. Kh1 {-1.68/27} (41. d6+ $17 {-0.94/35 was necessary.} Kd8 42. Kh2) 41... Rh5 $19 42. gxh3 {-2.31/28} (42. Kg1 $17 { -1.39/28}) 42... Bxh3 {[#] ( -> ...Bg2+)} ({But not} 42... Rxh3+ 43. Rh2 $17) 43. Rh2 Kd6 44. Bc2 Rhh8 45. Rdf2 Ke5 46. Bb1 $2 {-7.34/26} (46. Bd3 $17 { -1.51/30}) 46... Rg3 {Precision: White = 17%, Black = 25%.} 0-1

The highest rated games that reached the position after 4.Be3 are these two old games.

[Event "Oviedo rapid"] [Site "Oviedo"] [Date "1991.??.??"] [Round "6"] [White "Sion Castro, Marcelino"] [Black "Ehlvest, Jaan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "2405"] [BlackElo "2650"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "1991.??.??"] [EventType "swiss (rapid)"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "ESP"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1997"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1996.11.15"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Be3 d5 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. h3 Nh6 7. Qd2 dxe4 8. Bxh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 exf3 10. Qg7 Rf8 11. O-O-O Qd6 12. d5 Nd7 13. dxc6 Qf4+ 14. Kb1 bxc6 15. g3 Qe5 16. Qh6 Rb8 17. Qd2 Rg8 18. Bc4 Kf8 19. Rhe1 Qf6 20. Bb3 Nc5 21. Qh6+ Ke8 22. Qe3 Nxb3 23. axb3 Kf8 24. Qh6+ Ke8 25. Ne4 Qe5 26. Nd6+ exd6 27. Rxe5+ dxe5 28. Qg5 Be6 29. Qxe5 Rc8 30. h4 Kf8 31. Qf6 Bd5 32. Re1 Re8 33. Rxe8+ Kxe8 34. c4 Be6 35. Qxf3 Kd7 36. Qe3 Ra8 37. g4 a5 38. Qd4+ Kc7 39. h5 gxh5 40. gxh5 a4 41. b4 Rg8 42. b5 Kb7 43. Qc5 Rc8 44. b6 Ka6 45. f4 f5 46. Qe7 1-0 [Event "EU-chT (Men) 11th"] [Site "Pula"] [Date "1997.05.??"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Rocha, Sergio"] [Black "Blatny, Pavel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "2405"] [BlackElo "2540"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventDate "1997.05.05"] [EventType "team-swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "CRO"] [SourceTitle "CBM 057 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1997.05.01"] [WhiteTeam "Portugal"] [BlackTeam "Czech Republic"] [WhiteTeamCountry "POR"] [BlackTeamCountry "CZE"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Be3 Qa5 5. Bd3 dxe4 6. Bxe4 Nf6 7. Bf3 h5 8. Qd2 Bg4 9. O-O-O e6 10. Ne4 Qxd2+ 11. Rxd2 Nbd7 12. Ng5 Bxf3 13. N1xf3 Nd5 14. Re2 Nxe3 15. fxe3 Bh6 16. c3 Ke7 17. Kc2 f6 18. Ne4 g5 19. h4 g4 20. Ne1 Nf8 21. Nd3 Ng6 22. a4 Bf8 23. g3 f5 24. Nd2 Kd7 25. Nc4 b5 26. Nce5+ Nxe5 27. Nxe5+ Kc7 28. Ng6 Rh6 29. Nxf8 Rxf8 30. axb5 cxb5 31. Ra1 Kb7 32. Rf2 Rhf6 33. Raf1 Kc6 34. b3 R6f7 35. Kd3 a5 36. Ra2 Ra7 37. Rfa1 Rfa8 38. e4 fxe4+ 39. Kxe4 a4 40. c4 axb3 41. cxb5+ Kb6 42. Rxa7 Rxa7 43. Rb1 Ra3 44. Ke5 Kxb5 45. Kxe6 Kc4 46. d5 Kc3 47. d6 Kc2 48. d7 Ra8 49. Ra1 Rb8 50. Ra7 b2 51. Rc7+ Kb3 52. Rc8 Rb6+ 53. Ke5 b1=Q 54. d8=Q Qe1+ 55. Kd5 Qe6+ 56. Kc5 Qe3+ 57. Kd5 Rb5+ 58. Kd6 Qe5+ 59. Kc6 Qc5+ 60. Kd7 Qd5+ 61. Ke8 Qe6+ 62. Kf8 Rf5+ 63. Kg7 Rf7+ 0-1