Caro-Kann Defense (1… c6 2. Nc3)
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3
The Caro-Kann Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B10, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 48,662 times by this move order. White won 47%, 5% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 2… d5 (92% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.21 (Stockfish, depth 52; best line 2… d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Qe2)
- ECO
- B10
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2p5/8/4P3/2N5/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 2- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 16,599 | |
| 1500-1999 | 24,489 | |
| 2000+ | 7,574 | |
| All | 48,662 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… d5 Caro-Kann Defense (2. Nc3 d5) | 44,535 (92%) | |
| 2… d6 | 1,154 (2%) | |
| 2… e6 | 1,032 (2%) | |
| 2… e5 | 452 (1%) | |
| 2… g6 | 360 (1%) | |
| 2… Nf6 | 333 (1%) | |
| 2… b5 | 160 (0%) | |
| 2… Qb6 | 131 (0%) |
Master games
491 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 48%, draw 15%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2789) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2830) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 23rd Apr Late · 2024-04-23
- GM Eric Hansen (2606) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2847) 0-1 · Titled Arena Apr 3rd 2021 · 2021-04-03
- GM David Paravyan (2608) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2744) 0-1 · Titled Tue 23rd Jul Early · 2024-07-23
- GM Steven Zierk (2489) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2841) 0-1 · 1st 3-0 Thu 18th Jun 2026 · 2026-06-18
- FM Ivan Yeletsky (2504) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2732) 1-0 · Titled Tue 30th Jan Early · 2024-01-30
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM KAPUTVSEMU (2833) – GM Sigma_Tauri (2821) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- molecularchemist285 (2868) – hadishahod (2778) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- TigerSiberian (2836) – JeromePanoSoler (2707) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6) 1. e4 c6
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense (2. Nc3 d5) B10 · 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5
More Caro-Kann Defense lines (all)
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack (1… c6 2. c4) B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack (2. c4 d5) B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack, Modern Variation B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack, Open Variation B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack, Pseudo-Scandinavian B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Accelerated Panov Attack, Van Weersel Attack B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Apocalypse Attack B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Breyer Variation B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Breyer Variation, Stein Attack B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Dinic Gambit B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Endgame Offer B10
- Caro-Kann Defense: Endgame Variation B10
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.