user21834: I seem to keep losing games as white in this opening. What systems is good for white and what are the developing ideas before the middlegame for white after 4. dxc5?
[FEN ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5


user23598: I play the Panov attack:
[fen ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 ( 5... Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Nf3 Be7 8. c5 O-O 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. O-O ) 6. Nf3 Be7 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1

I scored multiple victories with this line and it's easy to play. In the first variation, you have an isolated pawn and you're looking for a kingside attack by creating a battery with the Bishop and Queen on the b1-h7 diagonal, and you play a3 in order to prevent the Knight from harassing you light-square bishop and rook on open files. In the second variation (5...Nc6) you need to prevent Black from playing e5. So you need to control it more, or trade your light square bishop for the knight on c6 to control it more and try to create a passed pawn on the queenside by pushing b4 at the right time. 

21834: <p>I seem to keep losing games as white in this opening. What systems is good for white and what are the developing ideas before the middlegame for white after 4. dxc5?</p>

<pre><code>[FEN ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5
</code></pre>
 23598: <p>I play the Panov attack:</p>

<pre><code>[fen ""]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 ( 5... Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Nf3 Be7 8. c5 O-O 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. O-O ) 6. Nf3 Be7 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1
</code></pre>

<p>I scored multiple victories with this line and it's easy to play. In the first variation, you have an isolated pawn and you're looking for a kingside attack by creating a battery with the Bishop and Queen on the b1-h7 diagonal, and you play a3 in order to prevent the Knight from harassing you light-square bishop and rook on open files. In the second variation (5...Nc6) you need to prevent Black from playing e5. So you need to control it more, or trade your light square bishop for the knight on c6 to control it more and try to create a passed pawn on the queenside by pushing b4 at the right time. </p>
