Answers.Body: <p>In general, a good plan in these situations is to then advance in the centre (either with ...f6-...e5 or just ...e5). When the position opens up, White will have a clear weakness on c3, which could be even more vulnerable than your d5-pawn. In addition, if you exchange off the d4-pawn with ...e5, White's control over the c5-square becomes weakened. However, your grip over c4 remains strong.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-02T20:51:56.743Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-06-02T20:51:56.743Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Body: <p>I often find myself in positions with the Carlsbad pawn structure, and I really struggle to come up with a plan. I am usually the one with the pawn chain pointing toward the queenside, so I assume that I should be focusing my play over there with things like the minority attack. However, I have recently found the minority attack to be unsuccessful for one main reason. The moment I push my b-pawn to b5 in the position shown below, white can respond with b4, instantly shutting down all of my play. Even though b4 creates a hole on c4, I also have a hole on c5 which my opponent can take advantage of with his knight. At this point, I have no idea what to do, and my opponent can play on the kingside with moves like f4-f5. </p>
  
  <p>Question: How should black (in this case) play after white plays b4?</p>
  
  <p>This is the type of position I get into as black.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN "1K1RR3/P1PQ3P/1PN1BP2/4P1P1/1B2p1p1/3pbn2/ppp1nq1p/1k1r2r1 b - - 0 1"]
  [startflipped ""]
  </code></pre>
  
Tags: <strategy><middlegame><pawn-structure>
Title: What should my plans be in a Carlsbad pawn structure?
ThreadText: # What should my plans be in a Carlsbad pawn structure?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-02)
  
  I often find myself in positions with the Carlsbad pawn structure, and I really struggle to come up with a plan. I am usually the one with the pawn chain pointing toward the queenside, so I assume that I should be focusing my play over there with things like the minority attack. However, I have recently found the minority attack to be unsuccessful for one main reason. The moment I push my b-pawn to b5 in the position shown below, white can respond with b4, instantly shutting down all of my play. Even though b4 creates a hole on c4, I also have a hole on c5 which my opponent can take advantage of with his knight. At this point, I have no idea what to do, and my opponent can play on the kingside with moves like f4-f5. 
  Question: How should black (in this case) play after white plays b4?
  This is the type of position I get into as black.
  [FEN "1K1RR3/P1PQ3P/1PN1BP2/4P1P1/1B2p1p1/3pbn2/ppp1nq1p/1k1r2r1 b - - 0 1"]
  [startflipped ""]
  
  **Tags:** strategy, middlegame, pawn-structure
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2020-06-02. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
  
  In general, a good plan in these situations is to then advance in the centre (either with ...f6-...e5 or just ...e5). When the position opens up, White will have a clear weakness on c3, which could be even more vulnerable than your d5-pawn. In addition, if you exchange off the d4-pawn with ...e5, White's control over the c5-square becomes weakened. However, your grip over c4 remains strong.
  
  
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