Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation
1.9M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.0%.
Measured over 1.9M games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 5.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.9M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 1.9M
- Best context
- 55.4% at 0-999 Bullet
- Worst context
- 42.0% at 2500+ Rapid
- Average game length
- 36 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 94.4%
- Draws
- 5.6%
Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.
Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 52.6% at 0-999, 44.4% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | |||||
| 1000-1199 | |||||
| 1200-1399 | |||||
| 1400-1599 | |||||
| 1600-1799 | |||||
| 1800-1999 | |||||
| 2000-2199 | |||||
| 2200-2499 | |||||
| 2500+ |
Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control
- 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 55.4% expected score (4,482 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (7,717 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (2,497 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.2% expected score (37 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (13,352 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (19,186 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (8,694 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 62.0% expected score (74 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 60.3% expected score (91 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (27,751 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (38,494 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (18,630 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 55.6% expected score (408 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.1% expected score (401 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (48,789 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (73,736 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (30,790 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.6% expected score (1,481 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.6% expected score (1,005 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (81,643 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (144,244 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (43,525 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (2,813 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (672 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (128,397 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (232,876 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (61,449 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.4% expected score (4,017 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.9% expected score (437 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (169,367 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (240,569 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (51,947 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (1,829 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 44.2% expected score (289 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (194,505 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (149,227 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.8% expected score (20,566 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.0% expected score (312 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 37.4% expected score (58 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.5% expected score (78,410 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.7% expected score (16,851 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.0% expected score (976 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 53.5% expected score (42 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation scores 48.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.8% and 49.0% — from 1.9M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.
How the figures are made
- Whose games these are
- 1.9M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
- Which games we count
- Rated games only — nothing casual.
- Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
- At least 2 moves played.
- A game is filed under White’s rating.
- Why every number comes with a range
- A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
- How much we need before we say anything
- An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate?
Playing the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation, Black wins 46.1%, draws 5.6% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 1.9M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation perform best?
The Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 53.3% (15K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 49.1% in Blitz (923K games) against 49.1% in Rapid (239K games).
How sharp is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation?
The Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation has a sharpness score of 94.4 (decisive), meaning 94.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 51.7%, draws 3.2% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 49.5%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 41K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 85K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.7%, draws 3.9% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 155K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.5%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 273K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 427K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 45.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 464K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.8%, draws 6.6% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 365K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 41.0%, draws 8.2% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 96K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 48.0%, draws 2.5% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 3.0K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 46.3%, draws 4.4% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 747K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 46.0%, draws 6.2% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 923K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.7%, draws 6.7% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 239K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 45.8%, draws 8.9% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 11K Lichess games.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation a good opening?
The Caro-Kann Defense: Tartakower Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.1% of its games and loses 48.3%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.