Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation
Chess opening · ECO B12 · 5 half-moves
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation is reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Caro-Kann Defense with 2. d4 d5 3. e5.
How often it is played
The Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation and its variations appeared in 0.93% of games — 27,830 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 57 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 48%, 3.7% were drawn and Black won 48%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.40 — a small edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 | 1.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Hillbilly Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. Bc4 | 0.35% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Modern Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 | 0.32% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 | 0.27% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 | 0.19% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Tal Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 | 0.06% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Van der Wiel Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nc3 | 0.04% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bayonet Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 | 0.03% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Bronstein Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Ne2 | 0.01% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Prins Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. b4 | 0.00% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Advance, Short Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. c3 e6 5. Be2 | 0.00% |
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