Caro-Kann Defense:Panov Attack

Named after Vasily Panov. White plays c4 and usually ends up with an isolated queen’s pawn and active pieces.

It is reached after 7 moves: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4. It is a line of the Caro-Kann Defense.

Black is to move and has 29 legal moves. Over the next four moves — two for each side — the game can branch into 1,068,546 different games. Those games reach 336,279 different positions: most positions can be reached in more than one way, 3.2 on average.

The Lichess opening list names 15 further lines after this position, such as Gunderam Attack (4... Nf6 5. c5).

The same moves can be played in 10 different legal orders that all reach this position. For example 1. d4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4, which starts as the Queen's Pawn Game.