Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
1,254,985 games: White 48.3% / Draw 6.8% / Black 44.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 707,761708K | ||
| 259,407259K | ||
| 102,877103K | ||
| 50,14750K | ||
| 50,13750K | ||
| 33,56834K | ||
| 22,99323K | ||
| 8,5548,554 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.21 The position is about equal
Best play: 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be3 e6 8. c5 Be7 9. Bb5 O-O 10. h3 Bxf3
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 47% both under 1400 and at 2200 and up, and 48% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 18K | |
| 1400–1799 | 148K | |
| 1800–2199 | 817K | |
| 2200 and up | 328K | |
| Masters, over the board | 4,023 |
Master games
- Giri, A. – Carlsen, M.
- Nepomniachtchi, I. – Carlsen, M.
- Radjabov, T. – Anand, V.
- Ivanchuk, V. – Topalov, V.
- Ivanchuk, V. – Aronian, L.
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: Panov Attack, Modern Defense (ECO B13, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 (5 moves).
In 1,254,985 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.3%, Black 44.9% and 6.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Nf3, in 56% of those games.
It branches into 5 named variations; the most played are Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Mieses Line and Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Carlsbad Line.
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: Panov Attack, Modern Defense
6. Bg5 scores best for White: 53.6%, with White winning 50.4% and Black 43.3% of 259K games. The most played, 6. Nf3, scores 52.0% in 708K games, and 6. cxd5 scores lowest: 49.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 6. Nf3.
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
The Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense has gained ground since 2016: 0.052% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.038%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.038% | 13,638 |
| 2017 | 0.049% | 27,154 |
| 2018 | 0.05% | 39,429 |
| 2019 | 0.047% | 58,556 |
| 2020 | 0.046% | 136,000 |
| 2021 | 0.043% | 167,000 |
| 2022 | 0.047% | 175,957 |
| 2023 | 0.05% | 188,957 |
| 2024 | 0.052% | 185,984 |
| 2025 | 0.052% | 181,799 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.054% | 59,102 |
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 (5)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Modern Defense (B13)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-panov-attack-modern-defense