Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense (2. d4 Na6)
1. e4 c6 2. d4 Na6
The Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B12, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 Na6. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 143 times by this move order. White won 52%, 6% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 3. Bxa6 (26% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.81 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3. Nf3 g6 4. h3 Bg7 5. Bd3 d6)
- ECO
- B12
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1ppppp/n1p5/8/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 Na6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 38 | |
| 1500-1999 | 37 | |
| 2000+ | 68 | |
| All | 143 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. Bxa6 | 37 (26%) | |
| 3. Nc3 | 31 (22%) | |
| 3. Nf3 | 25 (17%) | |
| 3. c3 | 12 (8%) | |
| 3. c4 | 10 (7%) | |
| 3. e5 | 7 (5%) | |
| 3. f4 | 7 (5%) | |
| 3. f3 | 3 (2%) |
Master games
203 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 17%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- FM Sina Movahed (2417) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 0-1 · Titled Tue 1st Aug Early · 2023-08-01
- GM Yuniesky Quesada Perez (2593) – GM Alexander Ipatov (2644) 1-0 · Pan-Am Intercollegiate · 2021-01-05
- IM Irakli Beradze (2479) – GM Alexander Ipatov (2644) 1-0 · US On/L Collegiate Rapid · 2021-09-25
- GM Peter Svidler (2723) – IM Grigory Gusarov (2354) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 6th Oct · 2020-10-06
- GM Alexander Zubarev (2583) – IM Thorsten Michael Haub (2469) 1-0 · 12th Sautron Open · 2012-10-28
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- atsaynm (2662) – SexDrugsRnR (2590) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- chessgrandfather1975 (2609) – SexDrugsRnR (2570) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- bombokobombo123456 (2672) – milyutinroman (2494) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (1… c6 2. d4) 1. e4 c6 2. d4
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense: De Bruycker Defense (3. Nc3 Nc7) B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 Na6 3. Nc3 Nc7
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.