St. Patrick's Attack

The St. Patrick's Attack, 3. h3, is an offbeat alternative to 3. Nf3 and 3. d4 in the 2. Nc3 Caro-Kann. The pawn move takes g4 away from the c8-bishop, the square it often uses against the Two Knights Attack, and leaves White's d-pawn uncommitted. Black most often replies 3...dxe4. The other main choices are 3...d4, which gains space with tempo on the knight, and 3...Nf6. Results in the Lichess database are close to even, and engines consider the position balanced.