Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Exchange Line
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Statistics from Lichess
646,560 games: White 47.1% / Draw 6.8% / Black 46.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 633,088633K | ||
| 13,26113K | ||
| 9696 | ||
| 4343 | ||
| 2727 | ||
| 1515 | ||
| 1212 | ||
| 55 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 5, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.26 The position is about equal
Best play: 5. Qxf3 e6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 d4 8. Ne2 e5 9. d3 c5
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 Black: Black scores 51% under 1400, 48% at 2200 and up and 49% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 84K | |
| 1400–1799 | 137K | |
| 1800–2199 | 353K | |
| 2200 and up | 212K | |
| Masters, over the board | 4,149 |
Master games
- Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
- Duda, J. – Carlsen, M.
- Carlsen, M. – Ivanchuk, V.
- Vachier Lagrave, M. – Mamedyarov, S.
- Topalov, V. – Carlsen, 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: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Exchange Line (ECO B11, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 (4 moves).
In 646,560 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.1%, Black 46.1% and 6.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Qxf3, in 98% of those games.
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Popularity by year
The Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Exchange Line has gained ground since 2016: 0.027% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.014%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.014% | 4,850 |
| 2017 | 0.02% | 10,796 |
| 2018 | 0.024% | 18,561 |
| 2019 | 0.021% | 26,807 |
| 2020 | 0.023% | 68,332 |
| 2021 | 0.022% | 87,362 |
| 2022 | 0.026% | 97,639 |
| 2023 | 0.027% | 100,719 |
| 2024 | 0.028% | 98,905 |
| 2025 | 0.027% | 93,043 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.027% | 29,656 |
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: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation, Exchange Line (B11)”. Lichess data as of 5 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-two-knights-attack-mindeno-variation-exchange-line