Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Retreat Line
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bh5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Retreat Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B11, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bh5. 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 367 times by this move order. White won 46%, 3% were drawn and Black won 51%. The most popular continuation is 5. g4 (47% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.76 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. exd5 cxd5 6. g4 Bg6 7. Ne5 Nc6)
- ECO
- B11
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rn1qkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p3b/4P3/2N2N1P/PPPP1PP1/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bh5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 72 | |
| 1500-1999 | 174 | |
| 2000+ | 121 | |
| All | 367 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. g4 | 172 (47%) | |
| 5. exd5 | 99 (27%) | |
| 5. d4 | 35 (10%) | |
| 5. Be2 | 35 (10%) | |
| 5. d3 | 15 (4%) | |
| 5. e5 | 6 (2%) | |
| 5. a3 | 2 (1%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
589 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 19%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2760) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2764) 1-0 · SportAccord Blitz Men 2012 · 2012-12-16
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2760) – GM Liren Ding (2702) 1-0 · SportAccord Rapid Men 2012 · 2012-12-14
- GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (2716) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2701) 1-0 · Crocus City Stars Blitz · 2022-10-04
- GM Zaven Andriasian (2606) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2736) 1/2-1/2 · 1st Abu Dhabi Super Blitz · 2020-04-15
- GM Eric Hansen (2606) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2736) 0-1 · PRO League Group Stage · 2020-02-17
Highest-rated Lichess games
- kletochkaa_2007 (2734) – IM liczner (2760) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- CM vlaxaki (2588) – IM liczner (2705) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- CM vlaxaki (2590) – IM liczner (2703) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4
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.