{"id":3630,"date":"2022-07-14T21:38:05","date_gmt":"2022-07-14T21:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chessquestions.com\/?p=3630"},"modified":"2022-07-15T07:09:12","modified_gmt":"2022-07-15T07:09:12","slug":"the-petrov-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chessquestions.com\/the-petrov-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"The Petrov Defense: How to Play It"},"content":{"rendered":"

⭐⭐⭐ Take 4 minutes to read and improve your chess game ➡️ : This article was first published on, and is Copyright of Chessquestions.com<\/p>\n

The earliest documented games with the moves were made by the famous player Greco, only subsequently gaining notoriety in the 1800s by the Russian master Alexander Petrov for whom the name derides. Thanks to the player and important contributions of other Russian chess players to the development of this opening, it was renamed as “Russian Game”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main idea of ​​the opening is active defense through counter-attack. Black prefers not to defend the e5-pawn, but to attack the e4<\/a>-pawn. Such an approach in several cases leads to a lively and interesting fight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Petrov Defense Moves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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The Idea and Strategy of the Petrov Defense<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The strategic idea of ​​this opening for black<\/a> is to immediately counterattack the e4-pawn, striving to immediately seize the initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With precise play, White usually manages to retain his initial advantage, since he is entitled to advance in the resulting symmetrical positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, recently many interesting ideas have been found for Black, which makes it possible to complicate the game and obtain counterattack opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian part is included in the opening repertoire of many prominent grandmasters<\/a>, including A. Karpov, V. Kramnik.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Russian Game starts with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The natural move 3…Nxe4 is a bad move, containing a deadly trap<\/a> and variations that put White into a superior position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An easy example of what can happen if black captures on e4 follows: (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. dxe5) and black is down a pawn with no compensation and this is knows as Petrov’s Defense: Classical, Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit.<\/p>\n\n\n

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You can see clearly that white has the advantage in terms of development and down a pawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Russian game tends to lift off in a drawish manner very similar to the Berlin Defense because the line is pretty much forcing (unless any player decides to trade minor pieces<\/a> and give away a small advantage)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Main Line goes as follows: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O (7. Bxe4 dxe4 and after Ne5 black as a strong lead) 7… Be7 8. c4 Nb4 (gains a tempo<\/a> on the bishop) 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 and after the last move almost 80% of games end in a draw.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Alternative lines in the Petrov<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Classical Attack, Staunton Variation<\/strong> is another attempt with almost equal chances of draws. The main line position can be reached after (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 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Na6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Nc3 Be6)<\/p>\n\n\n

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In essence the spirit of the opening resembles the Slav defense<\/a> by pushing the pawn to c6 releasing his bishop instead of a Nc6 move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does the Petrov Defense matter? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Petrov is well respected among the elite players because it is arguably the most drawing defense in chess. It has even higher drawing chances than The Berlin defense. The opening repeatedly appears in the world championship<\/a> match each time with a slight tightening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of playing Petrov<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n