Caro-Kann Defense: Spike Variation
1. e4 c6 2. g4
The Caro-Kann Defense: Spike Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B10, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. g4. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 136 times by this move order. White won 48%, 1% were drawn and Black won 51%. The most popular continuation is 2… d5 (91% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.67 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 2… d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nc3 e5 5. Nxe4)
- ECO
- B10
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2p5/8/4P1P1/8/PPPP1P1P/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. g4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 94 | |
| 1500-1999 | 38 | |
| 2000+ | 4 | |
| All | 136 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… d5 | 124 (91%) | |
| 2… e6 | 6 (4%) | |
| 2… Nf6 | 2 (1%) | |
| 2… d6 | 2 (1%) | |
| 2… Nh6 | 1 (1%) | |
| 2… g6 | 1 (1%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- awerksma (2412) – pucha12 (2398) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- prasenjittheboss2000 (2107) – sxwuhr (2226) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 600 + 0s
- RuyLopezzzz (2006) – LexaPuma34 (2026) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6) 1. e4 c6
Continuations
- Caro-Kann Defense: Spike Variation, Scorpion-Grob Gambit B10 · 1. e4 c6 2. g4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. d3
More Caro-Kann Defense lines (all)
- 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
- Caro-Kann Defense: Dinic Gambit 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.