Petrov's Defense
You play Black · 26 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 17
- Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main LineC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be29 moves
- Classical Attack, Maróczy VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 Bg4 9. c3 f5 10. c4 Bh410 moves
- Classical Attack, Berger VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 Bg4 9. c3 f5 10. Nbd210 moves
- Classical Attack, Marshall Variation, Chinese GambitC421. 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 9. Re1 Bg49 moves
- Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. cxd59 moves
- Classical Attack, Mason VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O O-O7 moves
- Classical Attack, Closed VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 Nf65 moves
- Classical Attack, Marshall TrapC421. 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+10 moves
- Modern Attack, Trifunovic VariationC431. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 Bxe57 moves
- Modern Attack, Bardeleben VariationC431. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qe2 Nc5 6. Nxd4 Nc66 moves
- Modern Attack, Center AttackC431. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd45 moves
- Modern Attack, Tal GambitC431. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Bb55 moves
- Nimzowitsch AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc35 moves
- Cochrane Gambit, Bishop Check LineC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 Kxf7 5. Bc4+5 moves
- Cochrane Gambit, Center VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 Kxf7 5. d45 moves
- Stafford Gambit AcceptedC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc55 moves
- Stafford Gambit AcceptedC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc55 moves
Other variations · 9
- Cozio AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Qe25 moves
- Damiano Variation, Kholmov GambitC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe74 moves
- French AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d35 moves
- Italian VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc43 moves
- Karklins-Martinovsky VariationC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd34 moves
- Kaufmann AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. c45 moves
- Millennium AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd35 moves
- Moody GambitC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. d44 moves
- Paulsen AttackC421. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nc44 moves
What is the Petrov's Defense?
Petrov's Defense, also called the Russian Game, arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. Instead of defending the e5 pawn, Black counterattacks White's e4 pawn at once. The positions are often symmetrical and open, and the opening is known as one of the most solid replies to 1.e4: it is hard for White to prove a real advantage, which makes it a popular equalising weapon at the top level, although it has sharp lines too.
Main ideas and plans
The first thing to know is the move order when White takes on e5. Recapturing on e4 at once is a mistake, because after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nxe4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.Nc6+ White wins your queen with a discovered check. The correct order is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4. The Classical Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3, is the main line: your knight on e4 is supported by d5, you develop with ...Be7 or ...Bd6, ...Nc6 and castling, and you meet White's c4 and Re1 with active moves such as ...Bg4. The Nimzowitsch Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3, gives White quick development; he often follows with Be3, Qd2 and O-O-O, and opposite-side castling makes the game sharp.
The Modern Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5, opens the game early; you challenge the strong knight on e5 with ...Nd7 or ...Bd6 and aim for easy development. White can also try the Cochrane Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7, giving a knight for two pawns and a lasting attack on your exposed king; it is objectively dubious but dangerous in fast games. Do not confuse the Petrov with the Stafford Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6, a trap-filled but unsound try in which Black gives up the e5 pawn on purpose.
Who is it for?
The Petrov suits solid, patient players who want an answer to 1.e4 that is hard to crack and easy to understand. The risk is not so much losing quickly as drawing too often: in symmetrical positions it is hard to create winning chances against a cautious opponent, so you need good endgame and middlegame technique. Start with the trap after an early capture on e4, the set-up against the Classical Attack, and a plan against the Nimzowitsch Attack with opposite-side castling.