Opening name: Caro-Kann Defence
Opening line: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5
Lichess Board
Wikibooks Page
Winning percentages
White: 22617 (32.02%)
Black: 16797 (23.78%)
Draws: 31214 (44.19%)
Caro-Kann Defence
2...d5
This is initial position of the Caro-Kann. A semi-open game that tends to contain lines with minor piece play. Note that Bd3?! dxe4 Bxe4 Nf6 gives Black the Initiative.
Most popular responses
3. e5 (Caro-Kann Defence - Advance Variation) The advance variation was widely regarded as inferior for many years, owing chiefly to the strategic demolition that Aron Nimzowitsch (playing as White) suffered at the hands of José Capablanca in one of their games at the New York 1927 tournament: Black almost always plays 3...Bf5 to free the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain, but, when trying to avoid the weight of theory associated with this line, can play 3...c5. The Advance Variation has since been revitalized by aggressive lines such as the Bayonet Attack (4.Nc3 e6 5.g4) favored by Latvian Grandmaster Alexei Shirov or the less ambitious variation 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 popularized by English Grandmaster Nigel Short. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (36950339 games)
3. exd5 (Caro-Kann Exchange Variation) White exchanges on d5, and black almost always responds with cxd5. This forms opposite-wing majorities. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (28632649 games)
3. Nc3 (Caro-Kann Defence:Classical Variation) The vast majority of times, black plays the solid 3...dxe4, one of the most well-studied of the Caro-Kann lines. Black has alternatives to avoid the weight of theory, although 3...e6, blocking the bishop, and effectively forming a French, with one tempo less, seems a dubious line. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (22766679 games)
3. f3 (Caro-Kann Defence 3 f3) This line is also called the Fantasy variation. White bolsters his f3-pawn and hopes to obtain a full pawn centre should black take at e4. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (3485333 games)
3. Nd2 (Caro-Kann Defence) After the commonly-played 3...dxe4 4. Nxe4 this transposes into the main Classical Variation, as if 3.Nc3 had been played. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (3394142 games)
Engine Evaluation
Depth: 46
Score: +0.33
Best Move: Nd2
PV Line: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7
Historical games for Caro-Kann Defence
| Game | Result | Year |
| Carlsen, M. (2856) vs Firouzja, Alireza (2804) | 1-0 | 2021 |
| Ding, Liren (2791) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2863) | 1-0 | 2020 |
| Ding, Liren (2791) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2863) | 1/2-1/2 | 2020 |
| Carlsen, M. (2832) vs So, W. (2815) | 0-1 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, M. (2832) vs So, W. (2815) | 0-1 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, M. (2832) vs So, W. (2815) | 1-0 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, M. (2832) vs So, W. (2815) | 1/2-1/2 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, M.. (2847) vs Ding Liren (2799) | 1/2-1/2 | 2021 |
| Anand, Viswanathan (2775) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2870) | 1/2-1/2 | 2013 |
| Giri, A. (2782) vs Carlsen, M. (2855) | 0-1 | 2016 |