Caro-Kann Defense: Panov-Botvinnik, Herzog Defense
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. d5 Na5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Panov-Botvinnik, Herzog Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B13, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. d5 Na5. 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 3 times by this move order. White won 33%, 34% were drawn and Black won 33%. The most popular continuation is 8. Bxc4 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 8. b4 cxb3 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7)
- ECO
- B13
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/5n2/n2P2B1/2p5/2N5/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 1 8- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. d5 Na5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 3 | |
| All | 3 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Bxc4 | 3 (100%) |
Master games
25 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 24%, draw 32%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- IM Logman Guliev (2261) – IM Semen Khanin (2552) 0-1 · Titled Tue 21st Feb Early · 2023-02-21
- FM Julien Lamorelle (2298) – GM Gabriel Flom (2410) 1-0 · ch-Paris IdF 2022 · 2022-07-15
- GM Eltaj Safarli (2579) – CM Kadam Om Manish (2114) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tuesday 28th Dec · 2021-12-28
- WIM Yaniela Forgas Moreno (2310) – GM Zhaoqin Peng (2359) 1/2-1/2 · Online Olym Top DivD 2021 · 2021-09-08
- IM Tamas-Kristof Balla (2300) – FM Aleks Sahakyan (2343) 1-0 · Titled Tue 21st Feb Early · 2023-02-21
Search all games of the Caro-Kann Defense: Panov-Botvinnik, Herzog Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- AlbertaGenuineDraft (2286) – WhiteSoulMaster (2461) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 300 + 0s
- Bluesbrothers (2271) – phoeniX_waKandA0503 (2244) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 600 + 0s
- Mohamad_Bn_Walid (2113) – mo_mo (2010) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
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.