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Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated October 2026

Play the Caro-Kann like S.L. Narayanan

A Caro-Kann repertoire built from 72 of S.L. Narayanan's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move S.L. Narayanan chose most often. Where S.L. Narayanan 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 S.L. Narayanan or Chess.com.

  • S.L. Narayanan was #46 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,201) and scored 56% against opponents averaging 2,945 in these games.
  • You play S.L. Narayanan's own move in 17 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#46

Chess.com

Rating

3,201

Games

72

in this opening

Score

56%

in these games

Opponents

2,945

average rating

More about S.L. Narayanan

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 12 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 9% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O Bg6 7.Nbd2 c5

  2. Line 2 · 8% 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.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.d4 f6 6.exf6 Nxf6

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nd2 e6 5.Nb3 Nd7 6.Nf3 Qc7

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 Bg4

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.O-O e6 8.a4 Bd6 9.h3 Bh5 10.Na3 a6 11.Re1 Nf6 12.Nc2 O-O

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nf3 g6

  9. Line 9 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O Bg6 7.c3 Nf5 8.Nbd2 c5

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5

  12. Line 12 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.f3 Qb6 4.Nc3 dxe4

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

S.L. Narayanan'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 Bg6 7.Nbd2 c5.

  1. 2.d4 Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 2.d4. At top level, this comes up about 71% of the time.
  2. 2…d5 Your move · S.L. Narayanan's games S.L. Narayanan played 2…d5 in 50 games, scoring 58%.
  3. 3.e5 Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 3.e5. At top level, this comes up about 31% of the time.
  4. 3…Bf5 Your move · S.L. Narayanan's games S.L. Narayanan played 3…Bf5 in 14 games, scoring 54%.
  5. 4.Nf3 Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 4.Nf3. At top level, this comes up about 13% of the time.
  6. 4…e6 Your move · S.L. Narayanan's games S.L. Narayanan played 4…e6 in 6 games, scoring 50%.
  7. 5.Be2 Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 5.Be2.
  8. 5…Ne7 Your move · S.L. Narayanan's games S.L. Narayanan played 5…Ne7 in 3 games, scoring 33%.
  9. 6.O-O Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 6.O-O.
  10. 6…Bg6 Your move · S.L. Narayanan's games S.L. Narayanan played 6…Bg6 in 3 games, scoring 33%.
  11. 7.Nbd2 Reply · S.L. Narayanan's games A common reply here is 7.Nbd2. At top level, this comes up about 9% of the time.
  12. 7…c5 Your move · Stockfish The games give no move to follow here, so this is Stockfish's choice.

Questions about this course

How does S.L. Narayanan play the Caro-Kann?
After 1.e4 c6, S.L. Narayanan's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O Bg6 7.Nbd2 c5. At top level it comes up about 9% of the time.
Is this S.L. Narayanan's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from S.L. Narayanan's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
72 of S.L. Narayanan's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,945. S.L. Narayanan scored 56% 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 S.L. Narayanan?
GM S.L. Narayanan was ranked number 46 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,201 when this course was built.