Caro-Kann Defense: Rasa-Studier Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
775,049 games: White 52.3% / Draw 4.3% / Black 43.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 452,353452K | ||
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: O'Kelly Defense | 157,912158K | |
| 46,48646K | ||
| 45,40845K | ||
| 34,92135K | ||
| 21,28821K | ||
| 7,4637,463 | ||
| 3,2613,261 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.65 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... exf3 5. Nxf3 Nf6 6. Bd3 Bg4 7. Be3 e6 8. Qe2 Bb4 9. a3
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 worse this line does for White: White scores 55% under 1400, 52% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 66K | |
| 1400–1799 | 284K | |
| 1800–2199 | 513K | |
| 2200 and up | 78K | |
| Masters, over the board | 24 |
Master games
- Gareev, T. – Shimanov, A.
- Gareev, T. – Vazquez, G.
- Stern, R. – Lauber, A.
- Trumpf, W. – Vlasveld, W. M.
- Curi, G. – Zelcic, R.
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: Rasa-Studier Gambit (ECO B15, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. f3 (4 moves).
In 775,049 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.3%, Black 43.4% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…exf3, 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: Rasa-Studier Gambit
4…e3 scores best for Black: 50.1%, with Black winning 47.1% and White 47.0% of 46K games. The most played, 4…exf3, scores 44.9% in 452K games, and 4…Bf5 scores lowest: 43.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 4…exf3.
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: Rasa-Studier Gambit is played more than twice as often as in 2016: 0.046% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.021%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.021% | 7,507 |
| 2017 | 0.021% | 11,679 |
| 2018 | 0.022% | 17,080 |
| 2019 | 0.022% | 27,538 |
| 2020 | 0.019% | 54,946 |
| 2021 | 0.02% | 77,501 |
| 2022 | 0.025% | 93,979 |
| 2023 | 0.029% | 107,258 |
| 2024 | 0.041% | 147,153 |
| 2025 | 0.046% | 159,411 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.049% | 53,346 |
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
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Caro-Kann Defense: Rasa-Studier Gambit (B15)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-rasa-studier-gambit