In NiC Yearbook #100 there is an article by IM Jeroen Bosch, “A Special Way to Combat the Caro-Kann.” The move order is 1 e4 c6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Qe2!? After replaying the match between Chigorin and Tarrasch contested in St. Petersburg in 1893, in which Chigorin played 2 Qe2 versus the French ten times, with five wins, three losses and two draws, I began to play 2 Qe2. It is only natural I would be attracted to an early move of the Queen on move three against the Caro-Kann. IM Jereon Bosch authored an article on 3 Qe2 vs the CK in NiC Yearbook #100. He has recently written an excellent article expounding on the Queen move on the chess.com website: http://www.chess.com/article/view/sos—secrets-of-opening-surprises—july-2013
IM Bosch wrote in the NiC Yearbook article, “The first strong player to adopt 3 Qe2 was Semen Dvoiris towards the end of last century.” Research led me to this game:
Van Geet, Dirk Daniel – Ludden, Gert Jan ½-½
B11 Corus Reserve Group 2000
1.Nc3 d5 2. e4 c6 3. Qe2 d4 4. Nd1 e5 5. g3 c5 6. d3 Nc6 7. f4 Bd6 8. Nf2 h5 9. Bh3 Nf6 10. Bxc8 Qxc8 11. Nf3 Qc7 12. f5 O-O-O 13. Bg5 Be7 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. O-O g5 16. h3 Be7 17. g4 f6 18. gxh5 Rdg8 19. Nh2 Bf8 20. Nh1 g4 21. Nxg4 Rxh5 22. Kh2 Qh7 23. Nhf2 Bh6 24. Nxh6 Qxh6 25. Qf3 Qe3 26. Nd1 Qh6 27. Nf2 Qe3 28. Nd1 Qg5 29. Nf2 Qe3 1/2-1/2
Years later, a few years older, and a little wiser, Van Geet played the opening in the usual manner:
Van Geet, Dirk Daniel – Moeckel, Edgar ½-½
B11 Bad Bertrich Seniors op
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Qe2 d4 4. Nd1 e5 5. g3 Nf6 6. f4 Bg4 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. Nf2 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Bd6 10. Bc4 Qe7 11. O-O b5 12. Bb3 Nc5 13. d3 a5 14. c3 Nxb3 15. axb3 c5 16. Bd2 b4 17. Ra4 O-O 18. Rfa1 Qb7 19. cxd4 cxd4 20. fxe5 Bxe5 21. Rxa5 Rxa5 22. Rxa5 Nd7 23. Ng4 f6 24. Qf5 Re8 25. Rd5 Re7 26. Qf1 h5 27. Nxe5 Nxe5 28. Qf5 Re8 29. Qxh5 Rc8 30. Qf5 Nxd3 31. Rd7 Rc7 32. Rd8+ Kf7 33. Qh5+ Ke6 34. Qe8+ Re7 35. Qg8+ Ke5 36. Qc4 Qxe4 37. Bf4+ Nxf4 38. gxf4+ Kf5 39. Rd5+ Kg6 40. f5+ Kh7 41. Rxd4 Qe1+ 42. Qf1 Qe3+ 43. Qf2 Qc1+ 44. Kg2 Qg5+ 45. Kf1 Qc1+ 46. Kg2 Qg5+ 1/2-1/2
This is the earliest example I have found. Does anyone know of an earlier example?
Frick,Christoph (2280) – Ellers,Holger (2310) [B11]
Bundesliga 9596 Germany, 1996
1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 c6 3.Qe2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.d3 Nxe4 6.dxe4 g6 7.Qd2 Qxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Bg7 9.0–0–0 Be6 10.Kb1 Nd7 11.Nf3 h6 12.Be3 Nb6 13.b3 0–0 14.Be2 Rfd8 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.Rd2 c5 17.Nf3 Rdc8 18.Rhd1 Be6 19.c4 g5 20.Ne1 Bc3 21.Rd3 Be5 22.Nf3 Bg7 23.Ne1 f5 24.f3 Kf7 25.R3d2 f4 26.Bf2 Bc3 27.Rd3 Be5 28.R3d2 Bd6 29.Nd3 Nd7 30.Nb2 b6 31.Na4 Ne5 32.Nc3 Nc6 33.Nd5 Be5 34.Kc2 Bd4 35.Bxd4 Nxd4+ 36.Kb2 Bxd5 37.exd5 e6 38.dxe6+ Kxe6 39.Bd3 Kf6 40.Be4 Rab8 41.Kc3 Rd8 42.a3 Rd6 43.b4 Rbd8 44.Kb2 Nf5 45.Rxd6+ Rxd6 46.Rxd6+ Nxd6 47.bxc5 bxc5 48.Bd5 Nf5 49.Kb3 Ne3 50.g4 fxg3 51.hxg3 h5 52.Bb7 Ke5 53.Bc8 Nf1 54.f4+ gxf4 55.gxf4+ Kxf4 56.Ka4 Ke5 57.Kb5 Kd6 58.Ka6 Ne3 59.Kxa7 Nxc4 60.a4 Kc7 61.Be6 Na3 62.Ka6 c4 63.Ka7 c3 0–1
Armchair Warrior 