C42 · Open · a defense for Black
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Closed Variation
10/10
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.d4Nf6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Closed Variation52k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
45%23k61%
10%5.2k57%
9.3%4.8k55%
9.2%4.8k55%
7.3%3.7k57%
6.5%3.4k55%
3.2%1.7k59%
2.7%1.4k56%
2.4%1.3k57%
1.1%57957%
Famous games in this line33 master games
Fischer, Robert James (2760) – Petrosian, Tigran V (2640)So, W. (2752) – Martinez Alcantara, Jose Eduardo (2607)Vidit, S. (2720) – Martinez Alcantara, Jose Eduardo (2607)Naiditsch, Arkadij (2674) – Saric, Ibro (2565)Nijboer, Friso (2535) – Orlov, Andrey (2541)Velimirovic, Dragoljub (2525) – Reshevsky, Samuel Herman (2515)Adorjan, Andras (2510) – Reshevsky, Samuel Herman (2515)Nabaty, T. (2630) – Seitaj, I. (2374)Heroes of this opening Martinez Alcantara, Jose Eduardo · Naiditsch, Arkadij · Velimirovic, Dragoljub · Nabaty, T.
- 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 Nf6
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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