C42 · Open · a defense for Black
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation
16/16
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.d4d56.Bd3Bd67.O-OO-O8.c4c6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation100k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
54%53k54%
16%16k53%
15%15k58%
5.3%5.3k60%
4.7%4.6k45%
1.9%1.9k54%
1.7%1.7k44%
1.1%1.1k58%
0.3%29249%
0.1%14847%
Famous games in this line3.2k master games
Carlsen, M. (2855) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2782)Nepomniachtchi, I.. (2792) – Caruana, F.. (2820)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2789) – Caruana, F. (2822)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2789) – Caruana, F. (2816)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2796) – Caruana, F. (2808)Anand, V. (2779) – Caruana, F. (2823)Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Shirov, Alexei (2751)Carlsen, Magnus (2815) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2785)Heroes of this opening Nepomniachtchi, I.. · Kasparov, Garry · Carlsen, Magnus
- 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 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6
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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