Openings Other answers to 1.e4
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance, Exchange, Classical, Stats by Rating
1...c6 prepares ...d5 with pawn support. Unlike the French, Black’s light-squared bishop gets out before ...e6, so the position is solid without being cramped.
B12Caro-Kann Defense
Games from this position (1600–1999): 184k
- 1.
- 2.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36% | 67k | ||
| 31% | 57k | ||
| 22% | 40k | ||
| 4% | 8,135 | ||
| 4% | 7,263 | ||
| 1% | 2,340 | ||
| 0.2% | 442 |
Plans for both sides
White
- 3.e5 (Advance) is the most popular; meet ...Bf5 with Nf3, Be2 and O-O, or the sharp g4.
- 3.Nc3 or 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 leads to the Classical: White gets space, Black a rock-solid position.
- The Exchange (3.exd5 cxd5) and the Panov (4.c4) give open, active games.
Black
- Get the bishop out with ...Bf5 or ...Bg4 before playing ...e6.
- In the Advance, ...c5 is the key break; in the Classical, ...c5 or ...e5 frees the game.
- In the 4...Nd7 lines, check for Nd6 tricks before you move the g8 knight (see the trap below).
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Caro-Kann Defense at each rating
How often the position after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.
| Rating | Games (Share of games) | White · Draw · Black | Top next move |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1200 | 39k1.3% | 3.e547% | |
| 1200–1599 | 123k2.1% | 3.e549% | |
| 1600–1999 | 184k2.9% | 3.e536% | |
| 2000+ | 79k3.9% | 3.e532% | |
| All | 425k2.4% | 3.e540% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
Calm and modern. White castles and plays c3 or c4; Black plays ...c5 and ...Nd7.
5,128 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 7% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2The bishop comes out with tempo. White plays h4–h5 to gain space.
18k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 5% were drawn, Black won 44%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6A Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange with colors reversed. Simple and solid.
12k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 6% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3White keeps d2–d4 back and develops knights first. 3...Bg4 or 3...dxe4 are good.
42k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 5% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3White backs up e4 with a pawn. After 3...dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4 White scores about 61% for the pawn; 3...e6 is the calmer answer.
754 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 59%, 3% were drawn, Black won 38%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4
Common traps
The Qe2 smothered mate
In the 4...Nd7 Classical, 5.Qe2 looks harmless. But 5...Ngf6?? 6.Nd6 is mate: the e7 pawn is pinned by the queen, so it cannot take the knight, and the king has no square. Black plays 5...Ndf6 instead.
Fewer than 6 games in our data reached the end of this line.
Show on the board: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Qe2 Ngf6 6.Nd6#(ends in mate)Advertisement
At club level
The Caro-Kann has a reputation for being boring, but below 2000 Black scores a little better with it than with the average answer to 1.e4. The one trap every Caro-Kann player must know is the smothered mate below.
Practice it
The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.
Related openings
- Scandinavian Defense
1.e4 d5
- French Defense
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
- Owen Defense
1.e4 b6
- Nimzowitsch Defense
1.e4 Nc6
- Alekhine Defense
1.e4 Nf6
- Modern Defense
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7