- ECO code
- A11
- Moves
- 1.c4 c6
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 681
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1925–2026
English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System is the opening filed under ECO code A11, reached after 1.c4 c6. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the Caro-Kann Defensive System; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 681 games on this line — the 165th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1925 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 290 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 40% of those games, 38% end in a draw, and Black wins 22%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 6 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 2.Nf3, played in 345 games, followed by 2.d4 (152) and 2.e4 (126). After 2.Nf3 White scores 43% and Black 22%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (33 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (61).
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Results in master games
- White 40% (272)
- Draws 38% (262)
- Black 22% (147)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.Nf3 | 345 | 43/35/22 | — |
| 2.d4 | 152 | 38/41/21 | — |
| 2.e4 | 126 | 37/44/19 | — |
| 2.Nc3 | 32 | 34/44/22 | — |
| 2.g3 | 13 | 15/31/54 | — |
| 2.b3 | 7 | 43/43/14 | — |
| 2.e3 | 3 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 2.Qa4 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
How the position is reached
- English Opening · 1.c4 · 10,834 games
Played most often by
As White
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 33
- Ivanchuk,V 32
- Aronian,L 31
As Black
- Shirov,A 61
- Giri,A 23
- Erigaisi,Arjun 17
Games per decade
- 1920s 3
- 1930s 11
- 1940s 2
- 1950s 6
- 1960s 18
- 1970s 19
- 1980s 32
- 1990s 54
- 2000s 72
- 2010s 174
- 2020s 290
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura,Hi | Le Tuan Minh | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Feb 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Le Tuan Minh | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Mar 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Keymer,Vincent | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
| Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 26th Mar 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Le Tuan Minh | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 16th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System?
It is the opening with ECO code A11, reached after 1.c4 c6. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System good for White or for Black?
In 681 master games on this line White wins 40%, 38% are drawn and Black wins 22%. 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 English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System?
2.Nf3 — played in 345 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (33), Ivanchuk,V (32), Aronian,L (31); on the Black side Shirov,A (61), Giri,A (23), Erigaisi,Arjun (17).
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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