Caro-Kann Defense: Alekhine Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
263,570 games: White 49.6% / Draw 5.4% / Black 45.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 114,052114K | ||
| 56,32056K | ||
| 45,13845K | ||
| 15,78016K | ||
| 11,39411K | ||
| 7,3417,341 | ||
| 5,4245,424 | ||
| 1,4581,458 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 22, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 5... Qxd4 6. Nf3 Qd5 7. Qe2 Bg4 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Rd1 Bxf3 10. Qxf3
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 worse this line does for White: White scores 54% under 1400, 51% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 83K | |
| 1400–1799 | 116K | |
| 1800–2199 | 172K | |
| 2200 and up | 24K | |
| Masters, over the board | 19 |
Master games
- Mamedov, R. – Asadli, V.
- Pilavov, G. – Grigoryan, A.
- Strohhaeker, R. – Ovetchkin, R.
- Bortnyk, M. – Nakada, A.
- Zelcic, R. – Tseitlin, M. S.
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: Alekhine Gambit (ECO B15, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Bd3 (5 moves).
In 263,570 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.6%, Black 45.0% and 5.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…Nxe4, in 43% 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: Alekhine Gambit
5…Nbd7 scores best for Black: 51.4%, with Black winning 48.5% and White 45.7% of 45K games. The most played, 5…Nxe4, scores 49.4% in 114K games, and 5…Bg4 scores lowest: 30.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…Qxd4.
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: Alekhine Gambit is played more than twice as often as in 2016: 0.012% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.0053%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0053% | 1,902 |
| 2017 | 0.0069% | 3,787 |
| 2018 | 0.0089% | 7,004 |
| 2019 | 0.0081% | 10,055 |
| 2020 | 0.0077% | 22,404 |
| 2021 | 0.0087% | 33,956 |
| 2022 | 0.01% | 38,502 |
| 2023 | 0.011% | 41,837 |
| 2024 | 0.012% | 43,447 |
| 2025 | 0.012% | 42,844 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.012% | 13,413 |
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: Alekhine Gambit (B15)”. Lichess data as of 22 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-alekhine-gambit