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Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated October 2026

Play the Caro-Kann like Fabiano Caruana

A Caro-Kann repertoire built from 49 of Fabiano Caruana's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Fabiano Caruana chose most often. Where Fabiano Caruana 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 Fabiano Caruana or Chess.com.

  • Fabiano Caruana was #13 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,271) and scored 77% against opponents averaging 2,908 in these games.
  • You play Fabiano Caruana's own move in 15 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#13

Chess.com

Rating

3,271

Games

49

in this opening

Score

77%

in these games

Opponents

2,908

average rating

More about Fabiano Caruana

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 8 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 9% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.c4 dxc4

  2. Line 2 · 9% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.g4 Bd7

  3. Line 3 · 5% at top level

    2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6

  4. Line 4 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.Nc3 h5

  5. Line 5 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.Ne2 e6

  6. Line 6 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bf4 Ne7

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O

  9. Line 9 · 3% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 a6

  10. Line 10 · 3% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6

  11. Line 11 · 3% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7 5.Bd3 Bg4

  12. Line 12 · 3% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O h6

  13. Line 13 · 3% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bf5

  14. Line 14 · 3% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.Nc3 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 6.Qe2 Nxe4 7.Qxe4 Nd7 8.Bf4 Qb6

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Fabiano Caruana's main line in the Caro-Kann, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.c4 dxc4.

  1. 2.d4 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 2.d4. At top level, this comes up about 73% of the time.
  2. 2…d5 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 2…d5 in 35 games, scoring 74%.
  3. 3.e5 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 3.e5. At top level, this comes up about 38% of the time.
  4. 3…Bf5 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 3…Bf5 in 16 games, scoring 53%.
  5. 4.h4 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 4.h4. At top level, this comes up about 26% of the time.
  6. 4…Qb6 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 4…Qb6 in 6 games, scoring 50%.
  7. 5.c4 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 5.c4. At top level, this comes up about 9% of the time.
  8. 5…dxc4 Your move · Stockfish The games give no move to follow here, so this is Stockfish's choice.

Questions about this course

How does Fabiano Caruana play the Caro-Kann?
After 1.e4 c6, Fabiano Caruana's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 Qb6 5.c4 dxc4. At top level it comes up about 9% of the time.
Is this Fabiano Caruana's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Fabiano Caruana's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
49 of Fabiano Caruana's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,908. Fabiano Caruana scored 77% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
14 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 Fabiano Caruana?
GM Fabiano Caruana was ranked number 13 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,271 when this course was built.