Alright, I just looked up 4...c5?! in Peter Wells' book "Winning with the Trompwosky." In the game Wells provides, black gets crushed, but Wells notes that c5 is "arguably best."

In response, 5.c3 doesn't really give much hope for the advantage. Neither does the move 5.f3 to which black can respond with Qa5+!. Wells suggests 5.Bd3 with the idea of taking the Knight on e4 and possibly gambiting in the b2 pawn. The variations are pretty complicated, with 5...Qb6 6.Be4 dxe4 7. Nc3 being the critical position.

After 12.h3 what about 12...Bd7 instead just reckoning h3 as some kind of weakness. Bxf3 simply looks to be a little better trade for white. If white plays Nf1-e3/g3 then I guess black should play a6 idea to get play on the queenside. But maybe if a6 with the knight still on d2 then Nb3-c5. Still I think white should play on the kingside so the Nc5 is maybe inconsistent.

If not the bishop-knight trade maybe the only strategy is to play reasonable moves like pressure on e-files etc. I really don't have a good feeling for playing this myself.

SJplayer,

After 12.h3 I'm not so sure about 12...Bd7 since it seems to lose a tempo. I could maybe follow up with 13.Ne5 and I don't think the h3 pawns is going to be a major weakness. White will be playing on the kingside and black probably going for a center break or minority attack on the queenside (which wouldn't involve play against h3). However, I agree with you that 12...Bxf3 is a better trade for white. With that in mind, I don't think Bd7 is a bad move to play straight-away (instead of 11...Bg4). This might fit better with your idea since you wont be losing a tempo to h3.

However I also think that moving the bishop wasn't the best plan for black. Black's position is solid and he or she should maybe go for a minority attack with play on the queenside, while holding off on moving the bishop until a better square appears. This avoids the problem of making the concession of Bxf3 which in trading off one of my knights, stopped them from stepping on each other's toes (as they were doing before Bxf3).

Strategically g6 and Bg7 is busted for Black with the b2-c3-d4 pawn chain and no active breaks. So that being said, White should preserve the valuable bishop pair and disregard this weak g7 bishop.

Also, f4 creates a weakness for nothing. For example 26...Nh5 attacking on f4, then White has a few options. The idea for Black is to play f5, and reroute the knight back via f6 to e4 which is strategically winning for Black. (27. f5 for White may be the best reply but it's doesn't give White a lot.)

A real howler is 17...f5 where the knight comes to e4 very soon and Black is rapidly winning strategically (f5-Nf6-Ne4-- White is busted). Literally in the blink of an eye after 17. f4 f5 White has given up the game. (White can win the b7 pawn but it is little compensation.)

Hi Josh,

If 6.cxd4 black has e5!
Instead of Bg4, Black can play Bf5, when the double f-pawns would help black.
Your f2-f4 looks bad, creating weaknesses for no reason.
After Qd6 by black, he has a clear advantage, instead of the Qd7 blunder ( even here it is still not clear, if he plays Ne4! instead of Qxf4? )

The opening transposed into a Exchange Caro Kann a tempo up for white.

Hope some of this helps.