Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation 7. Nf3 Nd7
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Statistics from Lichess
860,705 games: White 48.3% / Draw 7.5% / Black 44.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Spassky Variation | 645,985646K | |
| 139,976140K | ||
| 46,56347K | ||
| 10,22510K | ||
| 8,1078,107 | ||
| 4,2044,204 | ||
| 1,4051,405 | ||
| 1,2951,295 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.31 White is slightly better
Best play: 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 Ngf6 11. O-O-O Be7 12. Kb1 O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 49% under 1400, 48% at 2200 and up and 47% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 3,682 | |
| 1400–1799 | 97K | |
| 1800–2199 | 553K | |
| 2200 and up | 228K | |
| Masters, over the board | 8,428 |
Master games
- Caruana, F. – So, W.
- Kasparov, G. – Anand, V.
- Nepomniachtchi, I. – Ding Liren
- Anand, V. – Topalov, V.
- Ivanchuk, V. – Anand, V.
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: Classical Variation (ECO B19, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 (7 moves).
In 860,705 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.3%, Black 44.2% and 7.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. h5, in 75% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky Variation. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 7…Nd7
The most played answer, 8. h5 (Spassky Variation), also scores best for White: 52.7%, with White winning 48.8% and Black 43.5% of 646K games. Of the main answers, 8. Bc4 scores lowest: 47.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. Bd3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White'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
This line has lost ground since 2016: 0.027% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.041% (its peak: 0.055% in 2018).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.041% | 14,712 |
| 2017 | 0.048% | 26,662 |
| 2018 | 0.055% | 42,808 |
| 2019 | 0.046% | 57,537 |
| 2020 | 0.041% | 119,704 |
| 2021 | 0.034% | 132,530 |
| 2022 | 0.032% | 118,961 |
| 2023 | 0.029% | 110,562 |
| 2024 | 0.028% | 99,186 |
| 2025 | 0.027% | 93,624 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.028% | 30,277 |
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
Variations (1)
All 3 named lines that continue from here
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation (B19)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-classical-variation-2