The Main Plans In The Carlsbad Structure

Introduction

I am often asked, 'How do I create a good middlegame plan?'.

I will answer this question in detail in a future post (in fact, you can get early access to that post in my free Facebook group). Still, when answering general questions, I use specific examples, which can serve as a case study/model for us to follow in other situations.

In this post, I've chosen the Carlsbad structure as an example. This structure, which can arise from the Exchange QGD, Exchange Caro-Kann, and the 'd4 Sidelines' (London, Torre, Colle), where White meets ...c5xd4 with ...e3xd4, is a crucial concept to understand for improving your middlegame strategies.

Here's the diagram position:

Now that we have an actual position on the board, I can give more specific insights than ‘look at the pawn structure’ or ‘try to improve your worst-placed piece’. This is good advice, but it is relatively easy to misapply if you haven’t already trained this thinking technique extensively.

Let's divide White's and Black's main plans into separate discussion sections.

White's Plan A - The Minority Attack (b4-b5)

The purpose of the minority attack is to split Black’s a7-b7-c6-d5 pawn chain into additional pawn islands (with bxc6 bxc6, or ...cxb5) and create weaknesses in Black’s pawn structure. (You may notice, for instance, that Black has a backward c-pawn after the exchange on c6 or an isolated d5-pawn when the c6-pawn trades for the b5-pawn).

White's Plan B - The Pillsbury Plan (Ne5/f4)

This direct attacking plan reminds us of the Stonewall, where the knight on e5 blocks the created hole on e4, and the f4-pawn gives us space to build up an attack on Black’s king. The main challenge is setting up this plan in the first place, as immediately 11.Ne5 Ng4! prevents 12.f4 (due to 12...Nxe3).

White's Plan C - Central Play (The e4 Break)

This plan is typically less effective with the knight on f3. Usually, White would prefer to have the knight on e2 and the pawn on f3 so that when e4 is played, he can meet ...dxe4 with fxe4 to have two pawns in the centre (rather than being saddled with an isolated pawn after Nxe4). However, this plan can still work when Black misplaced his pieces in response to one of our other plans.

Now for Black's main plans.

Black's Plan A - The Kingside Attack Starting With ...Ne4

The e4 square is critical for setting up Black’s counterplay, shutting out White’s pieces, and fixing the structure so that Black can bring more pieces to a kingside attack with moves like ...Ng6-h4 and a rook lift along the 6th rank (...Rd6 or ...Re6). If White exchanges a knight on e4, Black gains a space advantage on the kingside, which increases the chances for a successful attack on the king.

Black's Plan B - Prophylaxis Against White's Minority Attack

This can take many forms but represents a more defensive approach, where we try to make White’s minority attack ineffective (or prevent it entirely). I'll divide these different ideas into sections for clarity.

Black's Plan B1 - Occupying The c4 Outpost

For instance, if the light-squared bishops were traded, the minority attack becomes less effective, as Black can occupy the fresh outpost on c4 with ...Nb6-c4 or ...Ne4-d6-c4.

From our diagram position, a version of this plan would be 11.h3 g6, preparing ...Ne6, ...Ng7 and ...Bf5, exchanging the light-squared bishops. From there, the knight can head toward c4 (or e4) via. f5 and d6.

Black's Plan B2 - Pushing The A-Pawn

Black can also play moves such as ...a6/...a5, so that when White plays b4-b5-bxc6, White exchanges the a-pawns first, leaving him with only one weakness (the backward c6-pawn) on the queenside.

Black's Plan B3 - Pushing Past The Minority Attack

Black can also prepare ...c5 in response to b5 (leaving him with an isolated pawn on d5 after dxc5, but this may not be a big problem). Even ...cxb5 axb5 a5, creating an outside passed pawn, could prove a valid response.

Black's Plan B4 - Blocking The Queenside By Meeting b4 With ...b5

In exceptional cases, Black may even be able to meet b4 with ...b5, intending to bring his knight to c4 to clamp down the c-file (and protect the backward c6-pawn). If Black can then play ...a5 and exert pressure on the fixed b4-pawn, he may even be able to take the initiative on the queenside.

Summary

This discussion only scratches the surface of this variation but gives us a model for understanding other types of positions.

What insight did you gain from this post? Is there anything unclear to you, or do you have any questions about this variation?

Let me know in the comments thread.