Tree path 6 levels King's Pawn Game › Caro-Kann Defense › Caro-Kann Defense › Caro-Kann Defense › Maróczy Variation › Maróczy Gambit

B12

Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit

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Overview

Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit belongs to the gambit family of chess openings (ECO B12, Semi-Open Games). It trades material for attacking chances — a classic trade-off that has fascinated players from the Romantic era to modern correspondence chess.

The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.

It begins with 11 plies and takes 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Bc4 to reach the canonical position.

The line refines Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, which traces back to the root opening King's Pawn Game.

Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.

ECO code: B12
Group: Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies: 11
Parent: Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation

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Statistics from Lichess

189,465 games · White 61.4% / Draw 3.8% / Black 34.7%

Moves	Games	W / D / B
Nf6	46,143
Be6	45,403
Bg4	20,006
Bb4+	15,677
Be7	13,747
c5	13,369
Bc5	9,521
h6	7,621

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:24:24

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