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Caro-Kann Defense · As Black · updated October 2026

Play the Caro-Kann like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

A Caro-Kann repertoire built from 77 of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Maxime Vachier-Lagrave chose most often. Where Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 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 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave or Chess.com.

  • Maxime Vachier-Lagrave was #9 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,300) and scored 73% against opponents averaging 2,846 in these games.
  • You play Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's own move in 24 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#9

Chess.com

Rating

3,300

Games

77

in this opening

Score

73%

in these games

Opponents

2,846

average rating

More about Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

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 10 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 7% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.Bc4 Nf6

  2. Line 2 · 7% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.Nbd2 Bg7 7.a4 Nf6

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    2.d3 d5

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.O-O Bg6

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

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

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    2.Nc3 d5

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

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

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng3 h5

  10. Line 10 · 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 h5

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6

  12. Line 12 · 4% at top level

    2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qc8 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Be7 10.O-O O-O 11.Rfe1 Nh5

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

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's main line in the Caro-Kann, move by move

The most common line at top level: 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.Bc4 Nf6.

  1. 2.Nf3 Reply · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games A common reply here is 2.Nf3. At top level, this comes up about 29% of the time.
  2. 2…d5 Your move · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played 2…d5 in 22 games, scoring 70%.
  3. 3.d3 Reply · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games A common reply here is 3.d3. At top level, this comes up about 17% of the time.
  4. 3…dxe4 Your move · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played 3…dxe4 in 8 games, scoring 81%.
  5. 4.dxe4 Reply · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games A common reply here is 4.dxe4.
  6. 4…Qxd1+ Your move · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played 4…Qxd1+ in 8 games, scoring 81%.
  7. 5.Kxd1 Reply · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games A common reply here is 5.Kxd1.
  8. 5…g6 Your move · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played 5…g6 in 5 games, scoring 90%.
  9. 6.Bc4 Reply · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's games A common reply here is 6.Bc4. At top level, this comes up about 7% of the time.
  10. 6…Nf6 Your move · Stockfish The games give no move to follow here, so this is Stockfish's choice.

Questions about this course

How does Maxime Vachier-Lagrave play the Caro-Kann?
After 1.e4 c6, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's most common line is 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 g6 6.Bc4 Nf6. At top level it comes up about 7% of the time.
Is this Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Caro-Kann course based on?
77 of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave's Chess.com blitz games in the Caro-Kann Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,846. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave scored 73% 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 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave?
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave was ranked number 9 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,300 when this course was built.