Caro-Kann Defense: Ulysses Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
257,231 games: White 44.7% / Draw 3.9% / Black 51.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 144,460144K | ||
| 72,07972K | ||
| 9,2979,297 | ||
| 8,2118,211 | ||
| 7,9267,926 | ||
| 3,7493,749 | ||
| 3,1523,152 | ||
| 3,0713,071 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.75 Black is better
Best play: 4... Bf5 5. g4 Bg6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. Nc3 h5 8. h3 hxg4 9. hxg4
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 49% under 1400, 46% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 131K | |
| 1400–1799 | 204K | |
| 1800–2199 | 139K | |
| 2200 and up | 7,464 | |
| Masters, over the board | 4 |
Master games
- Urban, M. – Quevedo García, V.
- Baltar, A. – Caressa, M.
- Cillóniz Razzeto, A. – Solar, J.
- Losev, D. – Myshakov, F.
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: Ulysses Gambit (ECO B12, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Caro-Kann Defense, reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 (4 moves).
In 257,231 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.7%, Black 51.4% and 3.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Nf6, 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: Ulysses Gambit
4…Bf5 scores best for Black: 56.1%, with Black winning 54.2% and White 42.0% of 72K games. The most played answer, 4…Nf6, scores lowest: 54.3% in 144K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…Bf5.
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: Ulysses Gambit is played more than twice as often as in 2016: 0.011% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.0052%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0052% | 1,855 |
| 2017 | 0.0063% | 3,457 |
| 2018 | 0.0078% | 6,090 |
| 2019 | 0.009% | 11,216 |
| 2020 | 0.0086% | 25,092 |
| 2021 | 0.0095% | 36,991 |
| 2022 | 0.01% | 38,524 |
| 2023 | 0.011% | 40,336 |
| 2024 | 0.011% | 39,429 |
| 2025 | 0.011% | 38,236 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.011% | 12,100 |
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: Ulysses Gambit (B12)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/caro-kann-defense-ulysses-gambit