Caro kann fantasy 5. …Qb6 results in a whacky position and good win for white

there is a game between jobava and ivanchuk involving this variation that looks like its straight up from outer space. Probably the most insane game i ever seen

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1594902&kpage=1&comp=-1

haha that is actually insane. The engine hated a3 but white quickly equalized and got an advantage. the positions are so unusual that it is hard to see patterns. I don't think I'll try a3. I usually can catch black in some traps in the opening unless they know it well, otherwise the game will end up like this. My win rate is good in this line but the games are rarely similar out of the opening. The 3. e6 line results in the most normal game of chess, kind of like a french.

That Jobava - Ivanchuk game has one of the funniest looking final positions I've ever seen! Thanks for the link.

Thinking of the Fantasy Variation (apologies for the slight digression), does anyone know of a good book on it? I used to own a copy of the little "Trends" chapbook (seemingly unobtainable second-hand) but I loaned it out over 20 years ago and never got it back.

Look into the "The Extreme Caro-Kann" by Alexey Bezgodov. It's 10 years old but it is the only book that I can think of that covers the Fantasy Variation specifically.

The Extreme Caro-Kann, Alexey Bezgodov.

However, it is some 10 years old, so some things may need reviewing.

Thgere is also a course at Modern Chess authored by Ivanchuk.

Thankyou.

Its easy to fall for this tricky line when you encounter it for the first time. But its one of those traps which work only once . Its a bit sharp, but if white knows it a little, black ends up in inferior game. Its much easier to defend it as lets say muzio gambit or algaier in KGA.

I think 3…Qb6 is best move for Black.