Chessy
Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack — play Black well
This opening gives you a very clear job as Black: meet White’s central expansion and know which move the engine prefers in the key position. The line starts with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6, and then it is White to move. In the drill below, you will practise answering White’s most common continuations and learning why some natural developing moves are not the best choice. The position is sharp enough that one accurate decision matters, so treat it as a test of your move-order and your understanding, not just memorisation.
Play the Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack against the engine
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Create a free account →What the position is asking you to solve
After 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6, White has the move and the game is already at an important crossroads. Stockfish rates this +0.75, a clear advantage for White. That means you are worse here, so your goal is not to pretend the position is equal — it is to make White prove that edge on the board. In practical terms, you need active, accurate play and a good feel for the central tension.
The move the engine wants
The engine’s best move here is e5. The listed continuation is e5 Nfd7 Bd3 c5, which shows the direction Black wants: challenge the centre immediately and keep the position active. If you are playing this opening, that is the strategic message to remember. Do not drift passively; meet White’s centre with energy and be ready for the resulting structure.
What the database says White tries most often
In the Lichess database, this exact position appears in 992,297 games, so it is a very practical training spot. White’s most-played continuation is e5, with 639,682 games and White scoring 55.1%. The other common tries are Bd3, exd5, f3, Bg5, and Nf3. That tells you what to expect in real games: White has several natural developing moves, but the central push is the one you must know best.
The moves to watch for
Three continuations are flagged as mistakes here: Bd3, exd5, and f3. Each of them is called an inaccuracy, and each is worse than e5. For a Black player, that is useful because it tells you which choices are most likely to give you a comfortable start. When White hesitates with one of those moves, you should be ready to punish the slow or imprecise plan by keeping the centre under pressure and staying active.
Results across 992,297 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| e5 | 639,682 | 55.1% |
| Bd3 | 112,246 | 52.7% |
| exd5 | 85,411 | 48.3% |
| f3 | 45,116 | 51.2% |
| Bg5 | 42,312 | 50.9% |
| Nf3 | 25,109 | 42.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the main idea for Black in the Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack?
Your main job is to answer White’s central setup with active play. In the key position after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6, the engine prefers e5. That is the move to understand first in the drill.
Is this opening good for Black to learn as a beginner?
It is useful if you want a clear structure and a direct strategic task. The position after the opening moves is already slightly unpleasant for Black, so you need to know the plan and play accurately. The drill helps you practise that under pressure.
What should I expect White to play most often?
The most-played continuation is e5, and it appears far more often than the others in the database. You should also be ready for Bd3, exd5, f3, Bg5, and Nf3. The drill is built around that practical reality.
Which White moves should I be ready to punish?
Bd3, exd5, and f3 are all listed as inaccuracies. The common theme is that White should not waste time when the centre is still unresolved. If White chooses one of those moves, stay active and keep following the engine’s preferred central plan.
How many games feature the Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack?
Over 992K Lichess games have reached the Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack position. White wins 53.3%, Black wins 43.2%, with 3.5% draws — based on real rated games.