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Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated October 2026

Play the Caro-Kann like Arjun Erigaisi

A Caro-Kann repertoire built from 122 of Arjun Erigaisi's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Arjun Erigaisi chose most often. Where Arjun Erigaisi 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 Arjun Erigaisi or Chess.com.

  • Arjun Erigaisi was #49 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,198) and scored 64% against opponents averaging 2,939 in these games.
  • You play Arjun Erigaisi's own move in 34 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#49

Chess.com

Rating

3,198

Games

122

in this opening

Score

64%

in these games

Opponents

2,939

average rating

More about Arjun Erigaisi

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 · 8% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 g6

  2. Line 2 · 7% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7 5.g3 e5 6.Bg2 Ne7 7.O-O O-O

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bg4 6.c4 e6 7.Qa4 f6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Qxc6+ Kf7 10.c5 Bxf3

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 g6 4.h3 d4

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 Bg7 5.h3 Nf6

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.Ngf3 Bg7

  9. Line 9 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.d4 f6

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

Arjun Erigaisi's main line in the Caro-Kann, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 g6.

  1. 2.d4 Reply · Arjun Erigaisi's games A common reply here is 2.d4. At top level, this comes up about 62% of the time.
  2. 2…d5 Your move · Arjun Erigaisi's games Arjun Erigaisi played 2…d5 in 66 games, scoring 58%.
  3. 3.exd5 Reply · Arjun Erigaisi's games A common reply here is 3.exd5. At top level, this comes up about 18% of the time.
  4. 3…cxd5 Your move · Arjun Erigaisi's games Arjun Erigaisi played 3…cxd5 in 19 games, scoring 63%.
  5. 4.Bd3 Reply · Arjun Erigaisi's games A common reply here is 4.Bd3. At top level, this comes up about 8% of the time.
  6. 4…Nc6 Your move · Arjun Erigaisi's games Arjun Erigaisi played 4…Nc6 in 9 games, scoring 56%.
  7. 5.c3 Reply · Arjun Erigaisi's games A common reply here is 5.c3.
  8. 5…g6 Your move · Arjun Erigaisi's games Arjun Erigaisi played 5…g6 in 5 games, scoring 80%.

Questions about this course

How does Arjun Erigaisi play the Caro-Kann?
After 1.e4 c6, Arjun Erigaisi's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 g6. At top level it comes up about 8% of the time.
Is this Arjun Erigaisi's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Arjun Erigaisi's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
122 of Arjun Erigaisi's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,939. Arjun Erigaisi scored 64% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
10 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 Arjun Erigaisi?
GM Arjun Erigaisi was ranked number 49 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,198 when this course was built.