Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
406,935 games: White 51.4% / Draw 4.7% / Black 43.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 351,743352K | ||
| 21,51022K | ||
| 10,88911K | ||
| 8,4458,445 | ||
| 4,3534,353 | ||
| 2,4442,444 | ||
| 2,1802,180 | ||
| 1,4691,469 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.04 The position is about equal
Best play: 4... e6 5. a3 h5 6. Ng3 Bg6 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 c5 9. c3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 49% under 1400, 54% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 19K | |
| 1400–1799 | 96K | |
| 1800–2199 | 273K | |
| 2200 and up | 67K | |
| Masters, over the board | 228 |
Master games
- Van Foreest, J. – Maghsoodloo, P.
- Morozevich, A. – Leko, P.
- Naiditsch, A. – Bologan, V.
- Naiditsch, A. – Predojevic, B.
- Motylev, A. – Dreev, A.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation (ECO B12, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Ne2 (4 moves).
In 406,935 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.4%, Black 43.8% and 4.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…e6, in 86% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation
The most played answer, 4…e6, also scores best for Black: 46.2%, with Black winning 43.8% and White 51.4% of 352K games. Of the main answers, 4…h6 scores lowest: 42.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…e6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Popularity by year
The Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation has lost ground since 2016: 0.014% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.017% (its peak: 0.021% in 2018).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.017% | 6,189 |
| 2017 | 0.02% | 10,982 |
| 2018 | 0.021% | 16,327 |
| 2019 | 0.021% | 25,606 |
| 2020 | 0.018% | 52,530 |
| 2021 | 0.016% | 62,547 |
| 2022 | 0.015% | 57,304 |
| 2023 | 0.015% | 56,255 |
| 2024 | 0.014% | 50,030 |
| 2025 | 0.014% | 47,209 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.013% | 14,784 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation (B12)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-advance-variation-bronstein-variation