- ECO code
- B15
- Moves
- 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 946
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1898–2026
Caro-Kann Defense is the opening filed under ECO code B15, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.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 946 games on this line — the 114th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1898 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 256 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 35% of those games, 38% 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 3...dxe4, played in 914 games, followed by 3...g6 (19) and 3...a6 (7). 3...dxe4 leads into Caro-Kann Defense (B15). After 3...dxe4 White scores 35% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Spassky, Boris V (51 games); on the Black side, Karpov, Anatoly (53).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Caro-Kann Defense (B15).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 35% (332)
- Draws 38% (359)
- Black 27% (255)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...dxe4 | 914 | 35/39/26 | Caro-Kann Defense (B15) |
| 3...g6 | 19 | 32/32/36 | — |
| 3...a6 | 7 | 0/14/86 | — |
| 3...h6 | 2 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...Nf6 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
| 3...b5 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...e6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Caro-Kann Defense (B15) · 3...dxe4 · 914 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
- Spassky, Boris V 51
- Nepomniachtchi,I 41
- Hou Yifan 33
As Black
- Karpov, Anatoly 53
- Keymer,Vincent 36
- Petrosian, Tigran V 35
Games per decade
- 1890s 4
- 1900s 9
- 1910s 12
- 1920s 22
- 1930s 17
- 1940s 13
- 1950s 28
- 1960s 95
- 1970s 61
- 1980s 49
- 1990s 107
- 2000s 153
- 2010s 120
- 2020s 256
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Henriquez Villagra,C | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Sharon,Rafael | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Dirikolu,Deniz | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Mar 2026 |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Dudzinski,Pa | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Gukesh,D | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Croatia |
| Ivanchuk,V | Suleymanli,Aydin | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B15, reached after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3. It belongs to the Caro-Kann Defense family.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense good for White or for Black?
In 946 master games on this line White wins 35%, 38% 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?
3...dxe4 — played in 914 of the master games on this line, which leads into Caro-Kann Defense (B15).
Which grandmasters play the Caro-Kann Defense?
On the White side Spassky, Boris V (51), Nepomniachtchi,I (41), Hou Yifan (33); on the Black side Karpov, Anatoly (53), Keymer,Vincent (36), Petrosian, Tigran V (35).
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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