- ECO code
- B12
- Moves
- 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 1,738
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1911–2026
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B12, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family and is known as the Advance Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,738 games on this line — the 66th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1911 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 922 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 44% of those games, 26% end in a draw, and Black wins 30%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are less common here than usual, by 9 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...Bf5, played in 1,513 games, followed by 3...c5 (215) and 3...g6 (5). After 3...Bf5 White scores 42% and Black 31%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (196 games); on the Black side, Keymer,Vincent (99).
2 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation; Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Tal Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 44% (764)
- Draws 26% (458)
- Black 30% (516)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...Bf5 | 1,513 | 42/27/31 | — |
| 3...c5 | 215 | 53/26/21 | — |
| 3...g6 | 5 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...a6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...e6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...Na6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...Nh6 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
| 3...Qb6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Short Variation · 3...Bf5 4.Nf3 · 733 games
- Tal Variation · 3...Bf5 4.h4 · 366 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 196
- Vachier Lagrave,M 107
- Grischuk,A 99
As Black
- Keymer,Vincent 99
- Nakamura,Hi 73
- Firouzja,Alireza 63
Games per decade
- 1910s 7
- 1920s 2
- 1940s 1
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 15
- 1970s 1
- 1980s 16
- 1990s 116
- 2000s 240
- 2010s 411
- 2020s 922
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Dushatov,Timur | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 23rd Jun 2026 |
| Grischuk,A | Daneshvar,Bardiya | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Bryakin,M | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Grischuk,A | Faryma,Maksym | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 11th Jun 2026 |
| Mahdavi,Reza | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 19th Feb 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B12, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,738 master games on this line White wins 44%, 26% are drawn and Black wins 30%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation?
3...Bf5 — played in 1,513 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (196), Vachier Lagrave,M (107), Grischuk,A (99); on the Black side Keymer,Vincent (99), Nakamura,Hi (73), Firouzja,Alireza (63).
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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