Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Kasparov Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
353,917 games: White 48.4% / Draw 6.0% / Black 45.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 213,192213K | ||
| 59,65760K | ||
| 42,09742K | ||
| 13,31113K | ||
| 8,5948,594 | ||
| 5,9185,918 | ||
| 2,9872,987 | ||
| 2,8082,808 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.18 The position is about equal
Best play: 6... e6 7. a4 Bd6 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Re1 Bb7 11. Ng5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: White scores 53% under 1400, 51% at 2200 and up and 56% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 2,120 | |
| 1400–1799 | 53K | |
| 1800–2199 | 254K | |
| 2200 and up | 57K | |
| Masters, over the board | 816 |
Master games
- Ivanchuk, V. – Karpov, A.
- Anand, V. – Karpov, A.
- Kasparov, G. – Karpov, A.
- Ponomariov, R. – Wojtaszek, R.
- Kasparov, G. – Adams, M.
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: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Kasparov Attack (ECO B17, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Ng3 (6 moves).
In 353,917 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.4%, Black 45.7% and 6.0% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…e6, in 60% 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: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Kasparov Attack
The most played answer, 6…e6, also scores best for Black: 49.8%, with Black winning 46.8% and White 47.2% of 213K games. Of the main answers, 6…Nb6 scores lowest: 47.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 6…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: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Kasparov Attack has lost ground since 2016: 0.012% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.015% (its peak: 0.02% in 2018).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.015% | 5,250 |
| 2017 | 0.02% | 10,894 |
| 2018 | 0.02% | 15,775 |
| 2019 | 0.018% | 22,199 |
| 2020 | 0.015% | 44,580 |
| 2021 | 0.013% | 51,188 |
| 2022 | 0.013% | 50,278 |
| 2023 | 0.013% | 49,767 |
| 2024 | 0.013% | 45,051 |
| 2025 | 0.012% | 40,343 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.012% | 12,757 |
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: Karpov Variation, Modern Variation, Kasparov Attack (B17)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-karpov-variation-modern-variation-kasparov-attack