Caro-Kann Defense: all variations and ECO codes
110 named lines across 10 ECO codes (B10–B19). Source: the CC0-licensed lichess.org opening database.
The idea
This family’s 110 named lines split mainly on how White responds to Black’s central challenge: the Advance Variation grabs space with e5 and dares Black to attack the resulting pawn chain from the side, the Exchange Variation trades on d5 for a symmetrical structure decided by piece activity rather than pawn tension, the Classical and Modern lines meet 3.Nc3/3.Nd2 head-on, and the Panov-Botvinnik Attack abandons the opening’s quiet reputation entirely for an isolated-queen’s-pawn structure that plays more like a Queen’s Gambit than a typical Caro-Kann.
The main line
How the main line scores at your rating
Real Lichess win rates for 1.e4 c6, playing as black: the family’s other variations are not separately tracked for win rate yet, main line only.
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| Rating band | Games | White / draw / Black | Score for black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400-1600 | 8,168 | 48.0% / 3.3% / 48.8% | 50.4% |
| 1600-1800 | 9,647 | 48.2% / 4.2% / 47.7% | 49.8% |
| 1800-2000 | 8,878 | 48.5% / 5.2% / 46.3% | 48.9% |
| 2000+ | 6,881 | 47.9% / 6.6% / 45.6% | 48.9% |
All 110 named variations
Every named line in the Caro-Kann Defense family, from the CC0-licensed ECO classification: not separately tracked for win rate, but every ECO code and move sequence is real, sourced data.
- B10Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6
- B10Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.Nc3
- B10Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5
- B12Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.d4
- B12Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5
- B15Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
- B15Caro-Kann Defense (main line)1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4
- B10Accelerated Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.c4B10Accelerated Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5
- B10Modern Variation1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Nf6
- B10Open Variation1.e4 c6 2.c4 e5
- B10Pseudo-Scandinavian1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5
- B10Van Weersel Attack1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Qb3
- B10Apocalypse Attack1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5
- B10Breyer Variation1.e4 c6 2.d3
- B10Stein Attack1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7 5.g3 e5 6.Bg2 Ne7 7.O-O O-O 8.b4
- B10Dinic Gambit1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.Ng5
- B10Endgame Offer1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3
- B10Endgame Variation1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1
- B10Euwe Attack1.e4 c6 2.b3
- B10Goldman Variation1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Qf3
- B10Hector Gambit1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5
- B10Hillbilly Attack1.e4 c6 2.Bc4
- B10Schaeffer Gambit1.e4 c6 2.Bc4 d5 3.Bb3 dxe4 4.Qh5
- B10Labahn Attack1.e4 c6 2.b4
- B10Double Gambit1.e4 c6 2.b4 d5 3.b5
- B10Polish Variation1.e4 c6 2.b4 e5 3.Bb2
- B10Scorpion-Horus Gambit1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.Bg5
- B10Spike Variation1.e4 c6 2.g4
- B10Scorpion-Grob Gambit1.e4 c6 2.g4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.d3
- B10St. Patrick’s Attack1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.h3
- B10Toikkanen Gambit1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.e5
- B10Two Knights Attack1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3
- B11Mindeno Variation1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4
- B11Exchange Line1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3
- B11Retreat Line1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bh5
- B12Advance Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
- B12Bayonet Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4
- B12Botvinnik-Carls Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5
- B12Bronstein Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Ne2
- B12Prins Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.b4
- B12Short Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3
- B12Tal Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4
- B12Van der Wiel Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3B12Van der Wiel Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 e6 5.g4 Bg6 6.Nge2 c5 7.h4
- B12Dreyev Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Qb6
Advance
- B12Short Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.c3 e6 5.Be2
- B12De Bruycker Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 Na6B12De Bruycker Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 Na6 3.Nc3 Nc7
- B12Edinburgh Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Qb6
- B12Maróczy Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3
- B12Maróczy Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4
- B12Masi Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 Nf6
- B12Massachusetts Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 f5
Mieses Attack
- B12Landau Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.e6
- B12Mieses Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3
- B12Modern Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
- B12Ulysses Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5
- B13Exchange Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5B13Exchange Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5B13Exchange Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bf4B13Exchange Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6
- B13Bulla Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.g4
- B13Rubinstein Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4
- B13Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4B13Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3B14Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6B14Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nf3 e6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bb5 Bg4B14Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nf3 e6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bb5 Bd6 9.Bg5 O-O 10.O-OB14Panov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 e6 7.c5
- B13Gunderam Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.c5
- B13Modern Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6
- B13Carlsbad Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6
- B13Czerniak Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qa5
- B13Mieses Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4
- B13Reifir-Spielmann Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qb6
- B14Fianchetto Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6
- B14Fianchetto Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.cxd5 Bg7
- B14Main Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Bb4
Panov-Botvinnik
- B13Herzog Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 dxc4 7.d5 Na5
- B15Alekhine Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Bd3
- B15Alien Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng5 h6 6.Nxf7
- B15Campomanes Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6
- B15Forgacs Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Bc4
- B15Gurgenidze Counterattack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5
- B15Gurgenidze System1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6
- B15Main Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4
- B15Rasa-Studier Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3
- B15Tartakower Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6
- B15Perlis Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 h6
- B15von Hennig Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4
- B16Bronstein-Larsen Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6
- B16Finnish Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 h6
- B17Karpov Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
- B17Modern Main Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4
- B17Modern Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5
- B17Ivanchuk Defense1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ndf6
- B17Kasparov Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3
- B17Smyslov Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6
- B17Main Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6 8.Bb3
- B17Tiviakov-Fischer Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6
- B18Classical Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5B19Classical Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7
- B18Flohr Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nh3
- B18Main Line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4
- B18Maróczy Attack1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.f4
- B19Lobron System1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.O-O-O Be7
- B19Seirawan Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6 11.Bd2 e6 12.O-O-O Bd6
- B19Spassky Variation1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5
- B18Martian Gambit1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng5 Bg6 6.N1f3 h6 7.Ne6
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ECO Volume B: Semi-Open Games (other than the French Defense) → · All ECO families → · Search and play every line in the interactive explorer →
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