Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Ivanchuk Defense
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ndf6
The Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Ivanchuk Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B17, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ndf6. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6 times by this move order. White won 83%, 0% were drawn and Black won 17%. The most popular continuation is 6. N1f3 (67% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.73 (Stockfish, depth 37; best line 6. N1f3 Bg4 7. Be2 Bxf3 8. Nxf3 e6)
- ECO
- B17
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp2pppp/2p2n2/6N1/3P4/8/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 3 6- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ndf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2 | |
| 2000+ | 3 | |
| All | 6 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. N1f3 | 4 (67%) | |
| 6. Bc4 | 2 (33%) |
Master games
20 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 30%, Black 20%). The strongest:
- Reckless 0.9.0-dev-b32e0895 (3741) – Berserk 20250622 (3667) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-21
- Berserk 20250622 (3667) – Reckless 0.9.0-dev-b32e0895 (3741) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-18
- GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly (2630) – GM S. Arun Prasad (2513) 1/2-1/2 · 5th Kolkata Open · 2012-12-07
- GM Oskar Wieczorek (2500) – GM Ahmed Adly (2596) 1-0 · World Rapid 2021 · 2021-12-26
- FM Gleb Apryshko (2337) – GM Vladimir Burmakin (2520) 1/2-1/2 · St.Petersburg Summer Open · 2017-08-19
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM jacosta-777 (2365) – Igor196229 (2329) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- pheobe02 (2236) – Bajanista (2349) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- kangson8 (2075) – mikeraya (2184) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5
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.