Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B17, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 138 times by this move order. White won 51%, 6% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 5… Ngf6 (74% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.21 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 5… h6 6. Ne6 Qb6 7. Nxf8 Nxf8 8. c3)
- ECO
- B17
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp1npppp/2p5/6N1/3P4/8/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 8 | |
| 1500-1999 | 72 | |
| 2000+ | 58 | |
| All | 138 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Ngf6 | 102 (74%) | |
| 5… h6 | 18 (13%) | |
| 5… e6 | 9 (7%) | |
| 5… Ndf6 Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Ivanchuk Defense | 6 (4%) | |
| 5… Nb6 | 2 (1%) | |
| 5… Qa5+ | 1 (1%) |
Master games
230 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 26%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Yangyi Yu (2675) – GM Liren Ding (2707) 1/2-1/2 · 4th Hainan Danzhou GM · 2013-05-28
- GM David W L Howell (2658) – GM Jorden Van Foreest (2701) 1-0 · MrDodgy Invitational 2 · 2021-05-13
- GM Yi Wei (2551) – GM Liren Ding (2718) 0-1 · Chinese Teams 2013 · 2013-10-11
- GM Velimir Ivic (2560) – GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2688) 0-1 · Titled Tue 15th Nov Early · 2022-11-15
- GM Michael Adams (2758) – GM Keith C Arkell (2450) 1-0 · PokerStars IoM Masters 2014 · 2014-10-12
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- puziko52 (2832) – Pyama_Ninja (2820) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Josayayque (2466) – GM Atomrod (2579) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Josayayque (2453) – GM Atomrod (2563) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Ivanchuk Defense B17 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ndf6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Main Line B17 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ngf6 6. Bd3 e6 7. N1f3 Bd6 8. Qe2 h6 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4
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.