- ECO code
- B12
- Moves
- 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 733
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1958–2026
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B12, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family and is known as the Advance Variation, Short Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 733 games on this line — the 150th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1958 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 334 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 42% of those games, 31% end in a draw, and Black wins 27%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 4...e6, played in 732 games, followed by 4...Bg4 (1). After 4...e6 White scores 42% and Black 27%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (66 games); on the Black side, Mamedyarov,S (35).
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Results in master games
- White 42% (307)
- Draws 31% (228)
- Black 27% (198)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...e6 | 732 | 42/31/27 | — |
| 4...Bg4 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Caro-Kann Defense · 1.e4 c6 · 5,477 games
- Caro-Kann Defense · 1.e4 c6 2.d4 · 4,145 games
- Caro-Kann Defense · 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 · 4,064 games
- Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation · 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 · 1,738 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 66
- Karjakin,Sergey 61
- Vachier Lagrave,M 61
As Black
- Mamedyarov,S 35
- Nakamura,Hi 31
- Keymer,Vincent 30
Games per decade
- 1950s 1
- 1980s 1
- 1990s 69
- 2000s 64
- 2010s 264
- 2020s 334
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Mahdavi,Reza | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 19th Feb 2026 |
| Pranav,V | Keymer,Vincent | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
| Hakobyan,Aram | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn3 |
| Dominguez Perez,L | Rapport,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | V Menorca Cerrado 2026 |
| Topalov,V | Erdogmus,Yagiz Kaan | 0-1 | 2026 | Clash of Generations III |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B12, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation good for White or for Black?
In 733 master games on this line White wins 42%, 31% are drawn and Black wins 27%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation?
4...e6 — played in 732 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (66), Karjakin,Sergey (61), Vachier Lagrave,M (61); on the Black side Mamedyarov,S (35), Nakamura,Hi (31), Keymer,Vincent (30).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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