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Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated October 2026

Play the Caro-Kann like Hans Niemann

A Caro-Kann repertoire built from 140 of Hans Niemann's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Hans Niemann chose most often. Where Hans Niemann 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 Hans Niemann or Chess.com.

  • Hans Niemann was #18 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,260) and scored 71% against opponents averaging 2,946 in these games.
  • You play Hans Niemann's own move in 33 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#18

Chess.com

Rating

3,260

Games

140

in this opening

Score

71%

in these games

Opponents

2,946

average rating

More about Hans Niemann

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 6 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 11% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 a6

  2. Line 2 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6

  3. Line 3 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c3 Bg4 6.Qb3 Qc7

  5. Line 5 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.c3 Nd7

  6. Line 6 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.h3 Nc6 6.c3 g6

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 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 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 h6 10.O-O Nd7

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.Qe2 Bg7 5.g3 Bg4 6.Nbd2 Nf6 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Nxf3 Qa5+

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.e5 Bg7

  12. Line 12 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.a3 Ba5 6.Be3 Nd7

  13. Line 13 · 3% at top level

    2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.d4 Nf6

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

Hans Niemann'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 a6.

  1. 2.d4 Reply · Hans Niemann'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 · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 2…d5 in 84 games, scoring 76%.
  3. 3.e5 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 3.e5. At top level, this comes up about 26% of the time.
  4. 3…Bf5 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 3…Bf5 in 32 games, scoring 84%.
  5. 4.h4 Reply · Hans Niemann's games A common reply here is 4.h4. At top level, this comes up about 11% of the time.
  6. 4…a6 Your move · Hans Niemann's games Hans Niemann played 4…a6 in 11 games, scoring 91%.

Questions about this course

How does Hans Niemann play the Caro-Kann?
After 1.e4 c6, Hans Niemann's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 a6. At top level it comes up about 11% of the time.
Is this Hans Niemann's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Hans Niemann's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
140 of Hans Niemann's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,946. Hans Niemann scored 71% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
13 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 Hans Niemann?
GM Hans Niemann was ranked number 18 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,260 when this course was built.