Caro-Kann Defense (1… c6 2. d4)
1. e4 c6 2. d4
The Caro-Kann Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B12, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 304,696 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 2… d5 (94% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.24 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 2… d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nd2 e6 5. Nb3)
- ECO
- B12
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2p5/8/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 85,289 | |
| 1500-1999 | 162,277 | |
| 2000+ | 57,130 | |
| All | 304,696 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… d5 Caro-Kann Defense (2. d4 d5) | 286,771 (94%) | |
| 2… d6 | 6,986 (2%) | |
| 2… e6 | 4,401 (1%) | |
| 2… g6 | 1,688 (1%) | |
| 2… Nf6 Masi Variation | 759 (0%) | |
| 2… b5 | 694 (0%) | |
| 2… Qb6 | 538 (0%) | |
| 2… Qa5+ | 440 (0%) |
Master games
3,075 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 15%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- LCZero v0.26.3_T60.66740 (3575) – Stockfish 20201225 (3592) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-04
- Stockfish 20201225 (3592) – LCZero v0.26.3_T60.66740 (3575) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2021-01-02
- KomodoDragon 2885.00 (3590) – ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) 1-0 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-16
- ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) – KomodoDragon 2885.00 (3590) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-14
- rofChade 2.321 (3467) – KomodoDragon 2885.00 (3590) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-26
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nana_jede_cevape (2896) – GM gmbrewchess (2968) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Nana_jede_cevape (2850) – GM gmbrewchess (2991) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Nana_jede_cevape (2904) – IM Kostik_Mostik (2896) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6) 1. e4 c6
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense (2. d4 d5) B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5
- Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense (2. d4 Na6) B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 Na6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Masi Variation B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 Nf6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Massachusetts Defense B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 f5
More Caro-Kann Defense lines (all)
- Caro-Kann Defense (1… c6 2. Nc3) B10
- Caro-Kann Defense (2. Nc3 d5) B10
- 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
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.