Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Smyslov Variation
14/14
1.e4c62.d4d53.Nd2dxe44.Nxe4Nd75.Bc4Ngf66.Ng5e67.Qe2Nb6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Caro-Kann Defense: Karpov Variation, Smyslov Variation31k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
25%8.0k60%
3.7%1.2k49%
2.7%83844%
2%63241%
0.7%21549%
0.6%19827%
0.2%6028%
0.1%3951%
0%850%
Famous games in this line1.2k master games
Kasparov, Garry (2800) – Karpov, Anatoly (2740)Anand, Viswanathan (2790) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2717)Kasparov, Garry (2780) – Karpov, Anatoly (2725)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2709) – Anand, Viswanathan (2769)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2705) – Karpov, Anatoly (2760)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2735) – Karpov, Anatoly (2730)Anand, Viswanathan (2715) – Karpov, Anatoly (2740)Anand, Viswanathan (2715) – Karpov, Anatoly (2740)Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Karpov, Anatoly
- Family
- Caro-Kann Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B17
- Line
- 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bc4 Ngf6 6. Ng5 e6 7. Qe2 Nb6
Solid
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From the archives
Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann gave the defence its play in the 1880s; the joint name first appears in print in 1890. It became the fortress of positional world champions — Botvinnik took it into world-championship matches, and Petrosian and Karpov made careers of it. Its promise: the French's solidity WITHOUT burying the light-squared bishop, paid for with a tempo.
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