C42 · Open · a defense for Black
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main Line
17/17
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.d4d56.Bd3Nc67.O-OBe78.c4Nb49.Be2
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main Line6.4k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
65%4.2k46%
15%92647%
9.7%62047%
5.6%35650%
2.6%16840%
0.8%5237%
0.7%4740%
0.2%1436%
0.1%90%
0.1%520%
Famous games in this line2.8k master games
Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Anand, Viswanathan (2769)Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2758)Kasparov, Garry (2838) – Adams, Michael (2742)Anand, Viswanathan (2790) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2788)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2787) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2785)Anand, Viswanathan (2792) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2769)Anand, Viswanathan (2770) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2790)Kramnik, Vladimir (2807) – Anand, Viswanathan (2753)Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Anand, Viswanathan
- Family
- Petrov's Defense
- Category
- Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C42
- Line
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2
SolidAggressiveClassical
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From the archives
Named for the 19th-century Russian master Alexander Petrov, the Petrov spent a century labeled 'drawish' — then Fabiano Caruana brought it to the 2018 World Championship, where it answered both of Magnus Carlsen's 1.e4 games and drew both. All twelve classical games were drawn and the title went to a rapid tiebreak. Symmetry, it turns out, is a weapon too.
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