Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation
Chess opening · ECO B13 · 5 half-moves
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
The Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation is reached after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Caro-Kann Defense with 2. d4 d5 3. exd5.
How often it is played
The Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation and its variations appeared in 1.1% of games — 31,781 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 48 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 48%, 4.3% 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 +0.30 — 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: Advance Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 | 0.93% |
| 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: Panov Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 | 0.19% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation, Rubinstein Variation | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Bf4 | 0.03% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation, Bulla Attack | 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. g4 | 0.00% |
Check your own games
Paste a game, or share one straight from lichess or chess.com, and Chess Analyzer names the opening, marks where the game left known theory and grades every move after it.
Open the analyzer