The old 9. ... h6 and 9. ... g6? are completely outdated, the modern 9. ... h5! is fine.
9. ... f5!? isn’t stupid at all, White often sticks to his extra pawn but is the owner of cramped pieces.
Black was fine for most time of the game.
I play caro kann but don't play this line I play the Karpov system so nothing to comment but It looks strong for black magnus lost to duda in the h5 line I guess
Meanwhile all top-seed books are switching to Nf6 and ef6 in the open CK.
I would go 3.e5 as White.
PS: indeed, MC overdid it.
#1
13 O-O looks more natural. Why retreat the queen?
πατ
#4
Probably to prevent Nc4, when the bishop on e3 can't go move due to the pin to the knight and is attacked twice, b2 is attacked and not defended... looks like easy play for black and ample compensation for the sacrificed pawn, if not even getting the pawn back straight away possibly (not ob b2 as there is Rb1 and b7 falls afterwards)
The immediate pressure on the white position after 13 0-0 is definitly unpleasent I would guess, therefore retreting the Queen, covering the field c4 and letting black guess if castles short or long seems more prudent
#6
13 O-O Nc4 14 b3 seems good for white: the queen is useful at f5
Maybe inserting a well-timed g6, this is a 2700 Elo encounter.
www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1907249#8
On the well-timed 14...g6 it makes sense to retreat 15 Qd3, so Qd3 and Rf3 together can protect backward pawn e3 thus transposing to #6
The question for me is rather: what to do useful in case of declining the instant snack on f5, say Bd2 followed by 0-0-0. Because protecting my means of ...g6 can run into h4.
Food for thoughts. Either way, a neat surprise weapon. The real meat is probably the better ...h5!
