Caro-Kann Defense: Goldman Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
362,397 games: White 53.7% / Draw 5.2% / Black 41.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 210,107210K | ||
| 69,58370K | ||
| 42,52143K | ||
| 29,28429K | ||
| 5,1895,189 | ||
| 1,8571,857 | ||
| 1,0521,052 | ||
| 601601 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026
Engine evaluation
0.00 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... d4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 Nbd7 6. exf6 Ne5 7. Qe2 Nxc4 8. fxg7
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 50% under 1400, 55% at 2200 and up and 48% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 94K | |
| 1400–1799 | 107K | |
| 1800–2199 | 220K | |
| 2200 and up | 80K | |
| Masters, over the board | 354 |
Master games
- Vachier Lagrave, M. – Admiraal, M.
- Ismagambetov, A. – Predke, A.
- Amonatov, F. – Paichadze, L.
- Amonatov, F. – Belozerov, A.
- Demkovich, A. – Jobava, B.
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: Goldman Variation (ECO B10, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Qf3 (3 moves).
In 362,397 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.7%, Black 41.1% and 5.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…dxe4, in 58% 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: Goldman Variation
3…e6 scores best for Black: 47.5%, with Black winning 45.0% and White 50.1% of 29K games. The most played, 3…dxe4, scores 43.6% in 210K games, and 3…d4 scores lowest: 42.6%. Stockfish's first choice is 3…d4.
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: Goldman Variation has gained ground since 2016: 0.016% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.0095%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0095% | 3,392 |
| 2017 | 0.012% | 6,584 |
| 2018 | 0.015% | 11,831 |
| 2019 | 0.013% | 15,754 |
| 2020 | 0.011% | 32,487 |
| 2021 | 0.012% | 46,138 |
| 2022 | 0.014% | 51,719 |
| 2023 | 0.015% | 56,665 |
| 2024 | 0.016% | 56,658 |
| 2025 | 0.016% | 55,347 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.017% | 18,307 |
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: Goldman Variation (B10)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-goldman-variation