Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Bc4
The Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B12, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Bc4. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 600 times by this move order. White won 58%, 4% were drawn and Black won 38%. The most popular continuation is 6… Be6 (25% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.53 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 6… Nf6 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qe1 Nb6 9. Bb3)
- ECO
- B12
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/2p5/8/2BpP3/5N2/PPP3PP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 1 6- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Bc4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 8 | |
| 1500-1999 | 354 | |
| 2000+ | 238 | |
| All | 600 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… Be6 | 152 (25%) | |
| 6… Nf6 | 151 (25%) | |
| 6… Bg4 | 59 (10%) | |
| 6… Bb4+ | 44 (7%) | |
| 6… Be7 | 42 (7%) | |
| 6… c5 | 39 (7%) | |
| 6… Nd7 | 28 (5%) | |
| 6… Bc5 | 23 (4%) |
Master games
270 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 61%, draw 11%, Black 28%). The strongest:
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2678) – GM Mikhail Kobalia (2614) 1/2-1/2 · PNWCC Online Blitz JP 15 · 2020-06-27
- GM Milos Perunovic (2631) – GM Borko Lajthajm (2539) 1-0 · 8th ch-SRB 2014 · 2014-04-16
- IM Thomas Beerdsen (2453) – GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2687) 0-1 · Titled Arena Mar 6th 2021 · 2021-03-06
- GM Alexandr Fier (2560) – IM Artem Sadovsky (2421) 1-0 · Titled Tue 25th Aug · 2020-08-25
- GM Dennis Wagner (2570) – FM Kaan Kucuksari (2398) 1-0 · Titled Tue 2nd Aug Early · 2022-08-02
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM German308 (2529) – GM JThybo (2631) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
- CM Toluwani_keenchess (2347) – Tuka929292 (2539) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- CM alesha_kiselev (2493) – Sidhuthesidhu (2371) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3
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.