Caro-Kann Defense: Modern Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
The Caro-Kann Defense: Modern Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B12, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2. 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 11,638 times by this move order. White won 51%, 5% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 3… dxe4 (81% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.09 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3… dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3)
- ECO
- B12
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,422 | |
| 1500-1999 | 5,988 | |
| 2000+ | 4,228 | |
| All | 11,638 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… dxe4 | 9,428 (81%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 656 (6%) | |
| 3… e6 | 523 (4%) | |
| 3… g6 | 272 (2%) | |
| 3… a6 | 246 (2%) | |
| 3… c5 | 123 (1%) | |
| 3… Nd7 | 78 (1%) | |
| 3… h6 | 73 (1%) |
Master games
703 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 42%, draw 21%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- Ethereal13.07_NNUE-15EE (3497) – Stockfish2021061923 (3632) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-30
- Stockfish2021061923 (3632) – Ethereal13.07_NNUE-15EE (3497) 1-0 · TCEC 21 Premier 2021 · 2021-06-28
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2862) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2708) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-12-03
- GM Gadir Guseinov (2665) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2726) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 16th June · 2020-06-16
- GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen (2661) – GM Ray Robson (2700) 0-1 · Julius Baer Gen Cup Pl/In · 2024-09-25
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: Modern Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- winx_m (2942) – IM shuriks91 (2845) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- 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
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (2. d4 d5) 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense: Edinburgh Variation B12 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Qb6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Main Line B15 · 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4
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.