C42
Petrov's Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4
In the Petrov's Defense, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The Petrov's Defense is a chess opening classified under ECO code C42. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4: 8 moves in, with White to play.
Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.
Dozens of named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.
Play the Petrov's Defense? See where you go wrong.
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Analyze my games free →Variations of the Petrov's Defense
- Classical Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4
- Classical Attack, Berger Variation1. 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. Nbd2
- Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1
- Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack1. 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. cxd5
- Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main Line1. 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. Be2
- Classical Attack, Closed Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 Nf6
- Classical Attack, Jaenisch Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4
- Classical Attack, Krause Variation1. 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
- Classical Attack, Marshall Trap1. 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+
- Classical Attack, Marshall Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6
- Classical Attack, Marshall Variation, Chinese Gambit1. 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 Bg4
- Classical Attack, Maroczy Variation1. 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 Bh4
- Classical Attack, Mason Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O O-O
- Classical Attack, Mason-Showalter Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6
- Classical Attack, Staunton Variation1. 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
- Classical Attack, Tarrasch Variation1. 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
- Cochrane Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7
- Cochrane Gambit, Bishop Check Line1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 Kxf7 5. Bc4+
- Cochrane Gambit, Center Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 Kxf7 5. d4
- Cozio Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Qe2
- Damiano Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4
- Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe7
- French Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3
- Italian Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4
- Karklins-Martinovsky Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3
- Kaufmann Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. c4
- Millennium Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3
- Moody Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. d4
- Nimzowitsch Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3
- Paulsen Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nc4
- Stafford Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6
- Three Knights Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3
- Modern Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4
- Modern Attack, Bardeleben Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qe2 Nc5 6. Nxd4 Nc6
- Modern Attack, Center Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4
- Modern Attack, Center Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3
- Modern Attack, Murrey Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 Nc6
- Modern Attack, Steinitz Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qe2
- Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 d5
- Modern Attack, Tal Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Bb5
Related openings
Petrov DefensePetrov Defense: ClassicalPetrov's Defense: Classical AttackPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Berger VariationPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin VariationPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne AttackPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main LinePetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Closed VariationPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Jaenisch VariationPetrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Krause Variation