Hi Paul,
Basically what you are saying is the better chess player will win
no matter what sound opening is played and that is correct.
When I have met it OTB I usually beat the player lower rated then me
and score low when I faced higher graded players. (surprise-surprise)
(Though in the latter case I do have a few wins on my cv. one!)
Just checked OTB DB. 19 wins. D1. L5 (all five better than me including an
IM and 2 games v my mate Jonathan Grant, one a few weeks before he won
the Scottish Title and one a few weeks after winning the Scottish Title.)
The Cann is an equalising opening and comes into own it's when White tries
to blast it off the board or take a chance because he is White.
If the White player does not want to tango and Black needs a win then
the Cann (IMO) is a tough opening to win from, you need the imbalance.
After 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3. Nc3
Black has no good waiting move, he really has to play 3...dxe4 giving up the
centre and releasing the tension. Yes it's OK for Black (theorectically) but
if you play to win (apparently looking at a recent thread we all do.) and all
other things being equal then you banking on your opponent having the same attitude.
Here is my 2nd loss v Jonathan a few weeks after he won the Scottish.
Everything is going along fine till I decide to sac the exchange for an
attack that was never going to work. Well not against this lad.
But I walk away with my head high, I played it how I wanted to play it,
going for the win, I enjoyed the work out, I saw a fantasy win and went for it.
It's what I do and I'll keep on doing it, it's the only way to play the game.
G.Chandler - J.Grant, Bells v Edin West, 2006
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. Be3 e6 6. Bd3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Qb6 8. b3 Nd7 9. O-O Bg4 10. c4 Nf5 11. Bxf5 Bxf5 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Nc3 Ba3 14. Qe2 O-O 15. Nh2 Bg6 16. g4 Qa6 17. gxh5 Qxe2 18. Nxe2 Bd3 {I have idea. (always fatal). sac the exchange to get rid of that light squared Bishop and attack his King with Rook, Bishop, two Knights, two h-pawns and my King.} 19. Nf4 Bxf1 20. Rxf1 Rac8 21. Ng4 Be7 22. h6 g6 23. h5 gxh5 24. Nxh5 Kh7 25. Kh2 Rc2 26. Kh3 Rfc8 {Mmmm...he has not seen what I'm up to.} 27. Rg1 Rg8 {Dam. Now he has.} 28. Rg2 Rxa2 {No, I don't want his Rook on a2, I want it on c2 so he cannot play Rc1. So...} 29. Rg1 {...I pretend I'm after the c-file.} 29... Rc2 {Good he is back on c2. That means he cannot go to c1 at the critical bit.} 30. b4 {That is stop him playing a5, b5 and a4. I need him to burn tempo setting up a passed queennside pawn.} 30... a6 31. Rg3 Rb2 {Oh Rats...he's gone to b-file, I was wanting him to play b6. I have to go for my line now but his Rook is on b2, it won't work.} 32. Rf3 Rf8 33. Rg3 {Draw?} 33... Rxb4 {OK here we go. I know I'm walking to the gallows, I know it won't work but what else is there?} 34. Ngf6+ Bxf6 35. Nxf6+ Nxf6 36. Rg7+ Kh8 37. exf6 a5 38. Kg4 Rg8 39. Kf4 Rxg7 40. fxg7+ Kg8 41. Kg5 Rb1 {And because that stupid Rook was not on the c-file....} 42. Kf6 Rh1 {....My h7+ and Kxf7 idea is sunk. It was actually doomed the moment I sacced the exchange. That attack needed a blunder from Black.} 43. Ke7 b5 44. f4 {One last swindle attempt. You have to go for them, I have a score book full of succesful clutching at straws swindles.} 44... Rxh6 45. f5 Rh3 46. fxe6 Rxe3 {0-1. Good game. Some you win, some you lose, I win more more than I lose, I'm happy.}