- ECO code
- B10
- Moves
- 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 455
- 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. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 455 games on this line — the 226th 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 210 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 2...d5, played in 440 games, followed by 2...g6 (8) and 2...d6 (5). 2...d5 leads into Caro-Kann Defense (B10). After 2...d5 White scores 35% and Black 36%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (46 games); on the Black side, Keymer,Vincent (34).
2 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Caro-Kann Defense (B10); Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack.
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Results in master games
- White 35% (157)
- Draws 29% (131)
- Black 36% (167)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...d5 | 440 | 35/29/36 | Caro-Kann Defense (B10) |
| 2...g6 | 8 | 25/37/38 | — |
| 2...d6 | 5 | 60/0/40 | — |
| 2...b5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 2...Qa5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
Variations from this position
- Caro-Kann Defense (B10) · 2...d5 · 440 games
- Two Knights Attack · 2...d5 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
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 46
- Firouzja,Alireza 17
- Keres, Paul 17
As Black
- Keymer,Vincent 34
- Petrosian, Tigran V 21
- Firouzja,Alireza 19
Games per decade
- 1920s 3
- 1930s 6
- 1940s 19
- 1950s 52
- 1960s 37
- 1970s 8
- 1980s 5
- 1990s 21
- 2000s 19
- 2010s 75
- 2020s 210
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeremyan,Alen | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Zierk,S | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 18th Jun 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 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B10, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense good for White or for Black?
In 455 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?
2...d5 — played in 440 of the master games on this line, which leads into Caro-Kann Defense (B10).
Which grandmasters play the Caro-Kann Defense?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (46), Firouzja,Alireza (17), Keres, Paul (17); on the Black side Keymer,Vincent (34), Petrosian, Tigran V (21), Firouzja,Alireza (19).
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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