Caro-Kann advance 3...c5 advice or thoughts?

You can play 5...e6 (French Advanced) and White's Bishop is misplaced on b5.
With the two central pawns on black squares the white squared
Bishop is White's better piece.

This is perhaps why you cannot find it under the CK - if you look
under Advanced French you will see Bb5 mentioned and it does
not get a good press.

If 6.Bxc6+? bxc6 with Ba6 to follow.

Instead of a French you can play 5...Qb6 hitting d4 and spotting the Bishop.
Again if Bxc6 bxc6 with Ba6 in the air.

I would not worry about 5.Bb5 it a bad move. 5.Nf3 is better and
more natural.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
You can play 5...e6 (French Advanced) and White's Bishop is misplaced on b5.
With the two central pawns on black squares the white squared
Bishop is White's better piece.

This is perhaps why you cannot find it under the CK - if you look
under Advanced French you will see Bb5 mentioned and it does
not get a good press.

If 6.Bxc6+? bxc6 with Ba6 ...[text shortened]... n the air.

I would not worry about 5.Bb5 it a bad move. 5.Nf3 is better and
more natural.

Thanks GP!

Originally posted by greenpawn34
You can play 5...e6 (French Advanced) and White's Bishop is misplaced on b5.
With the two central pawns on black squares the white squared
Bishop is White's better piece.

This is perhaps why you cannot find it under the CK - if you look
under Advanced French you will see Bb5 mentioned and it does
not get a good press.

If 6.Bxc6+? bxc6 with Ba6 ...[text shortened]... n the air.

I would not worry about 5.Bb5 it a bad move. 5.Nf3 is better and
more natural.

As a long time french player I second this recommendation if you are comfortable with the resulting position. I was always very happy as black in such positions. That said, Bd7 / Qa5 are perhaps more flexible moves since you really shouldn't fear doubling on the c-file like that (strengthens your center and that bishop is a key member of whites army).

Originally posted by zebano
As a long time french player I second this recommendation if you are comfortable with the resulting position. I was always very happy as black in such positions. That said, Bd7 / Qa5 are perhaps more flexible moves since you really shouldn't fear doubling on the c-file like that (strengthens your center and that bishop is a key member of whites army).

Yea, I'm pretty convinced that 5.Bb5 is not very good and gives black great prospects. The doubling on the c-file is definitely not a weakness in this case.

Originally posted by passedpawn22
Any thoughts on what to play as black after white plays 5.Bb5 in the 3...c5 variation of the Caro-Kann advance? Somebody brought this up and I can not find it in a book or database. Fritz recommends 5...Qa5, allowing white to double up black's pawns. Perhaps giving up the bishop pair and giving black an open B-file is good comp? Plus it can put whit ...[text shortened]... pieces on awkward squares. Any thoughts?

[pgn]1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Bb5[/pgn]

The idea of 3...c5 is a weakening of Whites pawn structure at the cost of blacks development. It's not a bad trade off. GM's play it, so you know it's pretty sound. I'd play through a few dozen games however, before trying it in a rated tournament.😏