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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.c5!?

Gunderam's variation, little-known, hardly used, not even mentioned in ECO(4) Vol B (curiously it gets a footnote in Vol 2) and Nunn's Chess Openings!

The scene is set to blow away those oh-so-solid Caro-Kann fanatics.

White's main idea is clear: he wants to advance his queenside pawn majority.  We'll see time and again how this might mess Black's natural development up.  There will be no playing by rote today.

5...b6

Black cannot just sit there and let White do his thing.  In this first game he makes an immediate attack against the pawn chain.

6.b4! a5

6...e5 7.dxe5 Ne4 (7...Nfd7 8.Qxd5 is disastrous for Black.) 8.Bb5+! Bd7 9.Qxd5+- is equally horrible.

7.b5 bxc5 8.dxc5

Two passed pawns after only eight moves!  Of course White hasn't developed a single piece yet but he will soon do so.

The immediate threat is 9 c6 , one more pawn move, hemming in the Knight on b8.

8...e5

Gudath hits with his most natural move but it will not do-maybe Black is in dire straits already!  8...Nbd7 9.c6 Nb6 10.Qd4 looks very good for White.  I can't believe ...e7-e5 as a sacrifice by Black and meanwhile White just puts a clamp on e5 e.g. Nf3,Bf4 etc.  The two passed pawns are real crushers.

8...Qc7 is the final playable move and a very unclear position is reached after 9.Be3 e5 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.c6 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 Bf5 14.Qa3!

Analysis Diagram: After 14.Qa3!

I prefer White as Black has still to solve the problem of his Nb8.

9.c6!

What a strange situation.  Put bluntly I think its much easier to get the White pieces out and over the board, this is going to count for a lot.  Witness what happens now!  [See also the note to White's 10th move.]

9...Bc5

9...Bb4+ 10.Bd2 0-0 11.Nf3 Qc7 12.Be2 Rd8 13.a4 d4 14.Bc4 Bg4 15.Qb3  scratches the surface but you get the general idea.  If White can just get his bits out normally and castle he will be totally winning.

10.Ba3

The idea is great.  White sacs the exchange but Black won't ever get to use his extra material.  However, objectively 10.Nc3! is the best move, with White holding the advantage, 10...Bd4 11.Nge2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxa1 13.c7!! Qxc7 14.Qxd5 0-0 15.Qxa8 Bb7 16.Qa7 Bd4 17.Nxd4 Qxc1+

Publisher's note:  Oops!  Reader John Dowling of Ohio (USA) writes in to say "After 10.Ba3 it says better was 10.Nc3. The line then given contcludes White is better when in fact in the final position White is losing after 18.Ke2. Also in the main line 11.Nd2, Qb6 is given. No mention is made of the stronger 11.___, Ng4!"

Responds Andrew: "After checking, it appears that the analysis is correct.  Therefore I have to suggest 9.Ba3! in place of 9.c6 as White's best, with 9...Ne4 10.Qc1! keeping the Queen protected and avoiding a c-file pin.  The position is then very unclear but White is for choice in view of the advanced queenside passed pawns, e.g. a) 10...Nd7 11.c6! Nb6 12.Bxf8 Rxf8 13.Nf3  or  b) 10...Qh4 11.Qc2 Nd7 12.Nf3 Qf4 13.c6."

Thanks John!

10...Bd4 11.Nd2 Qb6 12.Be2 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1

A normal evaluation does not apply.

13...h5 14.Rc1 Rh6

14...Ng4 15.Bxg4 hxg4 16.Qb3 Bxg1 17.Rxg1 Qd4 18.Qc3 Qf4+ 19.Ke2÷

15.Nc4 Qa7 16.Nd6+ Kd8 17.c7+ Kd7 18.cxb8N+ Rxb8 19.Qc2 Ng4 20.Qc6+ 1-0
 

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