Caro-Kann Defense (2… d5 3. Nc3)
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
The Caro-Kann Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B15, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3. 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 58,731 times by this move order. White won 51%, 5% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 3… dxe4 (79% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.34 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+)
- ECO
- B15
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 14,932 | |
| 1500-1999 | 30,884 | |
| 2000+ | 12,915 | |
| All | 58,731 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… dxe4 Caro-Kann Defense (3. Nc3 dxe4) | 46,355 (79%) | |
| 3… Nf6 Campomanes Attack | 4,184 (7%) | |
| 3… e6 | 3,388 (6%) | |
| 3… a6 | 1,277 (2%) | |
| 3… g6 Gurgenidze System | 959 (2%) | |
| 3… c5 | 574 (1%) | |
| 3… h6 | 500 (1%) | |
| 3… e5 | 281 (0%) |
Master games
845 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 16%, Black 47%). The strongest:
- GM Gukesh D (2787) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2757) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Mar Early · 2025-03-18
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2773) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2757) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 18th Mar Early · 2025-03-18
- GM Aleksandr Shimanov (2582) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) 0-1 · Titled Tue 17th Sep Early · 2024-09-17
- GM Eltaj Safarli (2612) – GM Nihal Sarin (2694) 1/2-1/2 · AI Cup Play-In 2023 · 2023-09-18
- GM Alexandr Fier (2624) – GM Baadur Jobava (2683) 1-0 · TCh-GEO Club 2015 · 2015-10-07
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nana_jede_cevape (2850) – GM gmbrewchess (2991) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Tempstream (2749) – GM RealDavidNavara (2891) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Lifvix01 (2809) – GM Fabsid (2818) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (2. d4 d5) 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense (3. Nc3 dxe4) B15 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4
- Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack B15 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Gurgenidze Counterattack B15 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 b5
- Caro-Kann Defense: Gurgenidze System B15 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6
More Caro-Kann Defense lines (all)
- Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6) B10
- 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
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.