Caro-Kann Defense: St. Patrick's Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
13,564 games: White 46.4% / Draw 5.1% / Black 48.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 7,5337,533 | ||
| 3,0543,054 | ||
| 1,0191,019 | ||
| 722722 | ||
| 561561 | ||
| 212212 | ||
| 212212 | ||
| 114114 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.05 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... d4 4. Nce2 e5 5. Ng3 Nf6 6. Bc4 b5 7. Bb3 a5 8. a4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Caro-Kann Defense: St. Patrick's Attack (ECO B10, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. h3 (3 moves).
In 13,564 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.4%, Black 48.5% and 5.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…dxe4, in 56% 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: St. Patrick's Attack
3…Nf6 scores best for Black: 53.8%, with Black winning 51.6% and White 44.1% of 1,019 games. The most played, 3…dxe4, scores 52.5% in 7,533 games, and 3…d4 scores lowest: 47.8%. 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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Caro-Kann Defense: St. Patrick's Attack (B10)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-st-patricks-attack