Caro Kann Exchange

Hello all,

Soon I will be playing an OTB match for the Club Championship and I'll need to win. Some good advice on the following  is much appreciated. 

Tartakower's Variation is one of my favorites.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3

ok. let's check it out then.

any comments / improvements?

Have you considered  the more popular Nc3? It can get into fairly aggressive play.

Panov botvinnik attack is always sharp but you need to be able to handle IQPs well. The advance is sharp if he plays his bishop out to f5. The exchange variation is not so sharp in comparison but your pawns will point to the king side so you should attack there. Black in the exchange variation will go for a minority attack on your queenside meanwhile.

The bayonnet that What_if suggests looks action packed. I'm curious to see how play would transpire if this line was utilized.

I've tried the Bayonet with mixed results, though it is fun to play. If you feel confident attacking with an Isolated Queen Pawn, though, the Panov Botvinnik Attack (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4) is a good attacking option.

Thx all for your contributions so far.

@polleke

The deciding match will be April 19th. So I still have lots off time to prepare. Most played by my clubmate are The exchange variation and secondly the advance variation. But couldn't I better deviate from that?

Thought to tell you the result.

It's a bit off an anti-climax since the game is not played. The club champion could not play on the 19th. Unfortunatly for me, according to the rules off the competition. He remains champion.

However I will take him on next season. Thanks all for your help.

I must not understand this correctly.  Was he the defending champion?  Or am I dreaming that.  And he could not play so he keeps the title?  LOL I thought Bobby Fischer was dead Mr. Karpov......:).

Gettum next year!

yes, you got it correct.

It is a competition system. We were paired in the final round, he was ahead of me. If he lost (and only then) he would get 0 points and I would pass him. However if you can't play a certain round, you still get some points. Those "some points" were enough for him to stay out off my reach.

And thx!