Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated November 2026
Play the Caro-Kann like Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
A repertoire in the Caro-Kann built from 86 of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Shakhriyar Mamedyarov chose most often. Where Shakhriyar Mamedyarov has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov or Chess.com.
- Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was #26 in Chess.com blitz in November 2026 (3,243) and scored 65% against opponents averaging 2,783 in these games.
- You play Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's own move in 37 of 40 positions.
- The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.
Train lines
Learn a new line move by move. Lines due for review go to your daily review first.
Free · first 5 lines need no account
Blitz rank
#26
Chess.com
Rating
3,243
as of 8 Nov 2026
Games
86
in this opening
Score
65%
in these games
Opponents
2,783
average rating
Based on 86 games, Apr 2019–Nov 2026
Lines to learn
- Next
Line 1 · 6% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O c5
- New
Line 2 · 6% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6
- New
Line 3 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6
- New
Line 4 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.c3 f5 7.Nbd2 Nf6
- New
Line 5 · 5% at top level
2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5 Qc7
- New
Line 6 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 a6 5.g4 Bd7 6.h5 c5 7.c3 Nc6
- New
Line 7 · 4% at top level
2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.g3 Bc5 7.Bg2 Nd7
- New
Line 8 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.Nbd2 c5
- New
Line 9 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.c3 Nd7
- New
Line 10 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 h5
- New
Line 11 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 Bg4 7.O-O e6 8.Qe1 Bd6
- New
Line 12 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.h3 g6
Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's main line in the Caro-Kann, move by move
The most common line at top level: 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O c5.
- 2.d4 Reply · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games A common reply here is 2.d4. At top level, this comes up about 57% of the time.
- 2…d5 Your move · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played 2…d5 in 48 games, scoring 61%.
- 3.e5 Reply · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games A common reply here is 3.e5. At top level, this comes up about 31% of the time.
- 3…Bf5 Your move · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played 3…Bf5 in 25 games, scoring 66%.
- 4.Nf3 Reply · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games A common reply here is 4.Nf3. At top level, this comes up about 14% of the time.
- 4…e6 Your move · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played 4…e6 in 11 games, scoring 77%.
- 5.Be2 Reply · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games A common reply here is 5.Be2.
- 5…Ne7 Your move · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played 5…Ne7 in 11 games, scoring 77%.
- 6.O-O Reply · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games A common reply here is 6.O-O. At top level, this comes up about 6% of the time.
- 6…c5 Your move · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's games Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played 6…c5 in 4 games, scoring 88%.
Questions about this course
- How does Shakhriyar Mamedyarov play the Caro-Kann?
- After 1.e4 c6, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O c5. At top level it comes up about 6% of the time.
- Is this Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's course?
- No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's public Chess.com blitz games.
- What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
- 86 of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,783. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov scored 65% in them.
- How many lines does the course have?
- 12 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
- Who is Shakhriyar Mamedyarov?
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was ranked number 26 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,243 when this course was built.