1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. e4 c6

Shown from Black's side. ECO B10.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Caro-Kann Defense

The Caro-Kann Defense starts 1. e4 c6. Black prepares 2...d5, as in the French Defense, but keeps the diagonal of the bishop on c8 open so it can develop outside the pawn chain. It has a reputation as one of the most solid replies to 1. e4, with a healthy pawn structure in the endgame.

Games in our sample
181,250
White wins
48.1%
Draws
4.5%
Black wins
47.4%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Caro-Kann Defense scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10008,1523.6%47.4%3.6%48.9%
1000 to 119915,1394.7%48.8%3.7%47.5%
1200 to 139924,8905.3%48.5%3.5%48.1%
1400 to 159934,9095.7%47.6%3.9%48.4%
1600 to 179939,5996.1%47.9%4.3%47.8%
1800 to 199933,7396.5%47.6%5.2%47.2%
2000 to 219917,7866.8%48.8%5.6%45.6%
2200 and over7,0366.2%48.9%8.9%42.2%
All ratings181,2505.7%48.1%4.5%47.4%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Caro-Kann Defense that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Exchange Variation

    1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5

    25,580 games · White 47.1% · draws 5.1% · Black 47.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Advance Variation

    1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5

    12,202 games · White 49.2% · draws 4.1% · Black 46.7%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Hillbilly Attack

    1. e4 c6 2. Bc4

    11,850 games · White 44.5% · draws 3.8% · Black 51.7%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense

    1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5

    10,014 games · White 46.2% · draws 4.2% · Black 49.6%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Advance Variation, Short Variation

    1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3

    7,571 games · White 47.5% · draws 4.7% · Black 47.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Two Knights Attack

    1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3

    5,710 games · White 50.0% · draws 4.8% · Black 45.3%

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Ideas for White

  • The Advance (3. e5), the Exchange (3. exd5) and the Classical (3. Nc3) are the main choices.

Ideas for Black

  • Bring the bishop to f5 or g4 before playing ...e6.
  • In the Advance, hit the centre with ...c5.

Questions

What are the moves of the Caro-Kann Defense?
1. e4 c6. In the ECO classification it is filed under B10.
How does the Caro-Kann Defense score?
In 181,250 games with it in our sample, White won 48.1%, 4.5% were drawn and Black won 47.4%.
At which ratings is the Caro-Kann Defense played most?
Among players rated 2000 to 2199 it is 6.8% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 3.6%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the Caro-Kann Defense is played most?
Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5), with 25,580 games in our sample.

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