C42 · Open · a defense for Black

Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Marshall Trap

20/20
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.d4d56.Bd3Bd67.O-OO-O8.c4Bg49.cxd5f510.Re1Bxh2+
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Marshall Trap727 games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
85%61619%
13%9349%
1.7%128%
0.8%60%
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 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 Bg4 9. cxd5 f5 10. Re1 Bxh2+
SolidAggressiveClassicalTrappy
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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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