C42 · Open · a defense for Black
Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit
8/8
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5Nxe44.Qe2Qe7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit314k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
79%249k50%
9%28k50%
5.5%17k51%
3.8%12k51%
0.6%1.8k49%
0.5%1.6k48%
0.4%1.1k47%
0.3%82836%
0.3%80448%
0.3%79446%
Famous games in this line333 master games
Caruana, F. (2795) – Nakamura, Hi (2810)Caruana, F. (2783) – Nakamura, Hi (2802)Carlsen, M. (2831) – So, W. (2747)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2734) – Nakamura, Hi (2810)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2731) – Nakamura, Hi (2788)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2731) – Nakamura, Hi (2788)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2731) – Nakamura, Hi (2788)Niemann, Hans Moke (2733) – So, W. (2751)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Nakamura, Hi · Vachier Lagrave, M.
- Family
- Petrov's Defense
- Category
- Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C42
- Line
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe7
GambitSolidClassical
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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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