Caro Kann.Exchange or Advance Variation?

Either one is good for White. But, the advanced variation seems to be more popular now.

Both pose problems for black and if he is more used to seeing one he may not do so well against the other. I most often face the advance variation and don't see much of the exchange. Against the advance I play 3...c5 which has a pretty bad reputation but I like the positions I get. Definitely not a solid response the the advance but you can get a counter attack going if you play energetically.

Play exchange. If white wants closed position, he won't open e4. Advice for intermediate and post intermediate players.

3... c5 in the advance variation is significantly less common than Bf5, but it scores just as well. What is this "pretty bad reputation" for 3... c5? Looks like a perfectly viable option to me, and it's what I play too.

instead of asking others, trying to have an own opinion is a better way.

There are many material in chess.com.

For instance :

https://www.chess.com/video/player/easy-syste-vs-the-caro-kann

https://www.chess.com/video/player/easy-system-vs-the-caro-kann-part-2

 Some would argue that Dzindzichashvili forgets some ideas for opponents but it gives u ideas, and then u can use other sources.

here is an amazing game in the Caro-Kann, classical variation. the d5 sacrifice by Jobava is just mind blowing.

There are of course other options. What about 2.c4. Ok you get an IQP but easy development for all of your pieces.

@jsligon the pretty bad reputation is the fact that Botvinnik broke this out in his matches with Tal and lost with it and it has fallen by the wayside ever since. I'm not saying it's unplayable since I do play it, I just think it demands a sense of urgency on Black's part to play good moves if he is to stand any chance. On a side note, Nakamura won a beautiful game against topalov last year with 3...c5

I looked up the second Tal - Botvinnik WC match, 1961. Botvinnik had 10 games with black, and he played the Caro-Kann 9 times (the other was a French). Tal went for the Classical in the first of those games and the Advance the other 8. Botvinnik played 3... c5 in the first three CK Advance games before switching to 3... Bf5. The three games with 3... c5 resulted in two draws and one win for Tal (the last of the three), after which Botvinnik abandoned 3... c5.

So Botvinnik lost one game. But you're right about this line of the Advance Variation falling out of favor after that match (or maybe it never really caught on). I can't find the position after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 in another game until Nunn-Westerinen 1983, and the next one is in 1995. Then in the late 90s / early 2000s it starts to become more common.

You may try the advance variation , trying to make the game go wild . Things remain murky for black if you play an eventual g4 move , harrasing his bishop . For example , 

But my suggestion is the 2 knights variation , where white gets active piece play , that is my forte.

@jsligon thanks for the deeper background on the issue. I had thought there were more losses in that match. Cheers!

Hmm...10...dxc4 wins for black in that game you posted.

But yeah, its complicated. Im learning the 'computer-assisted ' Short variation myself, which is the leading attack. Thats 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 Nd2....its why the Caro-Kann is losing followers, but its a whole system to play 4 nd2. Anyways, it goes 4...e6 5 Nb3 Ne7 6 Nf3 Nd7 7 Be2...white +.3 according to Stockfish. Very promising attack.

All the more reason for CK players to give 3... c5 a try? I'm looking at a Chessable repertoire for white that recommends the Advance Variation with the more usual 4. Nf3 move order (4. Nf3 5. Be2 6. O-O, I notice in your line white doesn't commit to castling). It includes the same Nd2-b3 maneuver (with black's knights on e7 and d7), the lack of castling seems to be the main difference. Not sure how much overlap there is between these systems.

c5 is worse. As far as the regular Short attack, it allows c5. That drops white down to zero to +.1...plus black has a counter offense. With Nd2, black doesnt get an easy c5. While its not the end of the game, all black can do is sit and play expert defense to avoid losing. As far as castling, while will castle kingside soon after most likely.

Heres a sample game that you can see its not simple simple to play either side, which is what you'd expect with a newish attack:

amazing game!

Playing Black, I like the Advance Variation more than the Exchange because the Advance gives me targets at the base of White's Central Pawn Chain where ...c5 or ...b6 or ...b5, supported by the d7-N or other pieces, often makes White's game unstable and, if I can protect my K-side, I usually eventually get a good attack on the Q-side. If White pays too much attention to the Q-side, then ...f6, supported by that same N on d7, lets me wear away White's center Pawns.