- ECO code
- B10
- Moves
- 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 440
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1927–2026
Caro-Kann Defense is the opening filed under ECO code B10, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 440 games on this line — the 233rd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1927 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 200 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 35% of those games, 29% end in a draw, and Black wins 36%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 8 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nf3, played in 370 games, followed by 3.d4 (42) and 3.Qf3 (21). 3.Nf3 leads into Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack. After 3.Nf3 White scores 34% and Black 38%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (45 games); on the Black side, Keymer,Vincent (34).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack.
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Results in master games
- White 35% (152)
- Draws 29% (128)
- Black 36% (160)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nf3 | 370 | 34/28/38 | Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack |
| 3.d4 | 42 | 29/45/26 | — |
| 3.Qf3 | 21 | 62/19/19 | — |
| 3.d3 | 4 | 75/0/25 | — |
| 3.exd5 | 2 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 3.g3 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
Variations from this position
- Two Knights Attack · 3.Nf3 · 370 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.Nc3 · 455 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 45
- Keres, Paul 17
- Firouzja,Alireza 16
As Black
- Keymer,Vincent 34
- Petrosian, Tigran V 21
- Mamedyarov,S 18
Games per decade
- 1920s 3
- 1930s 6
- 1940s 19
- 1950s 50
- 1960s 37
- 1970s 7
- 1980s 5
- 1990s 21
- 2000s 19
- 2010s 73
- 2020s 200
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeremyan,Alen | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Matinian,N | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
| Schnaider,Ilan | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 9th Apr 2026 |
| Sokac,Marko | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Mar 2026 |
| Drygalov,Sergey | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 25th Jun 2026 |
| Lortkipanidze,N | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2025 | Titled Tue 29th Apr Early |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B10, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense good for White or for Black?
In 440 master games on this line White wins 35%, 29% are drawn and Black wins 36%. 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?
3.Nf3 — played in 370 of the master games on this line, which leads into Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack.
Which grandmasters play the Caro-Kann Defense?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (45), Keres, Paul (17), Firouzja,Alireza (16); on the Black side Keymer,Vincent (34), Petrosian, Tigran V (21), Mamedyarov,S (18).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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