Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit
274K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
57.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 58.1%.
Measured over 274K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 274K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 274K
- Best context
- 66.7% at 2500+ Blitz
- Worst context
- 47.3% at 0-999 Blitz
- Average game length
- 30 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.6%
- Draws
- 3.4%
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.
Extra Analysis
Deep-dive datasets for this opening
Where it holds · White score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It gets better as the rating rises: 40.1% at 0-999, 59.0% 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: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (481 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (790 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (307 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 56.7% expected score (1,764 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 54.6% expected score (2,499 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (884 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (14 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 56.5% expected score (14 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 58.7% expected score (4,684 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 55.9% expected score (6,279 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (2,321 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 42.7% expected score (46 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (31 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (7,912 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 59.3% expected score (14,446 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (4,677 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 43.6% expected score (162 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 60.5% expected score (51 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 59.0% expected score (15,612 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 59.0% expected score (27,938 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 58.8% expected score (8,196 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.5% expected score (334 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.8% expected score (63 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 58.7% expected score (18,100 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 57.5% expected score (42,169 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 58.7% expected score (11,174 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 57.5% expected score (469 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.2% expected score (66 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 57.5% expected score (15,855 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (35,368 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 58.6% expected score (8,036 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.5% expected score (219 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 58.5% expected score (122 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (19,315 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (15,363 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 60.2% expected score (1,235 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 67.6% expected score (27 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 60.4% expected score (6,378 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 66.7% expected score (507 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit scores 57.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 57.8% and 58.1% — from 274K 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
- 274K+ 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: von Hennig Gambit win rate?
Playing the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit, White wins 56.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.9%. It rests on 274K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit perform best?
The Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 60.9% (6.9K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 57.7% in Blitz (145K games) against 57.7% in Rapid (37K games).
How sharp is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit?
The Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.6 (very decisive), meaning 96.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 48.4%, draws 2.6% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 53.4%, draws 2.3% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 5.2K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 55.3%, draws 2.0% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 57.1%, draws 2.3% and loses 40.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.3%. It rests on 27K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 57.6%, draws 2.8% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.0%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 56.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.0%. It rests on 72K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 55.2%, draws 4.1% and loses 40.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.3%. It rests on 60K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 55.7%, draws 4.6% and loses 39.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.0%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 58.3%, draws 5.1% and loses 36.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.9%. It rests on 6.9K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, White wins 53.6%, draws 4.4% and loses 42.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.8%. It rests on 352 Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 57.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 40.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.5%. It rests on 90K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 55.8%, draws 3.7% and loses 40.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.7%. It rests on 145K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 55.7%, draws 3.9% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.7%. It rests on 37K Lichess games.
What is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 51.7%, draws 6.8% and loses 41.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games.
Is the Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit a good opening?
The Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 56.2% of its games and loses 40.4%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.