Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation (4. Nxe4 Bf5)
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B18, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. White is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3,219 times by this move order. White won 52%, 6% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 5. Ng3 (64% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.25 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7)
- ECO
- B18
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rn1qkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/5b2/3PN3/8/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 446 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,763 | |
| 2000+ | 1,010 | |
| All | 3,219 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Ng3 | 2,053 (64%) | |
| 5. Ng5 | 920 (29%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 99 (3%) | |
| 5. f3 | 45 (1%) | |
| 5. Nc5 | 39 (1%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 19 (1%) | |
| 5. Qf3 | 18 (1%) | |
| 5. Qd3 | 11 (0%) |
Master games
1,467 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 30%, Black 32%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) – GM Erwin L'Ami (2627) 1-0 · 75th Tata Steel GpA · 2013-01-23
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2738) – GM David Navara (2737) 1/2-1/2 · Cez Trophy 2017 · 2017-06-15
- GM Hao Wang (2742) – GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2729) 1/2-1/2 · 1st FIDE GP London 2012 · 2012-10-02
- GM Emil Sutovsky (2657) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2786) 1/2-1/2 · 29th ECC Open 2013 · 2013-10-24
- GM Rauf Mamedov (2656) – GM Sergey Karjakin (2743) 1-0 · 7th Gashimov Mem Blitz · 2021-12-22
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- puziko52 (2811) – IM Kostik_Mostik (2915) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Superstitions_Guy (2814) – IM Kostik_Mostik (2886) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- kuhmft (2860) – GM Fabsid (2811) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Main Line 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Flohr Variation B18 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nh3
- Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line B18 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4
- Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Maróczy Attack B18 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. f4
- Caro-Kann Defense: Martian Gambit B18 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng5 Bg6 6. N1f3 h6 7. Ne6
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.