C42 · Open · a defense for Black

Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit

7/7
1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Qe2Nc64.d4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit2.0k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
52%1.0k54%
23%46255%
18%36558%
2.6%5252%
1.8%3754%
0.8%1631%
0.6%1338%
0.4%967%
0.3%667%
0.1%333%
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C42
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. d4
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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