Petrov's Defense
Petrov's Defense (C42) starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. In 19,881 games between strong players, White wins 42%, 25% are drawn and Black wins 33%; the most played move is 3.Nxe5 (58%).
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
- ECO
- C42
- Games between strong players
- 19,881
- To move
- White
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nxe5 | 58% (11,513) | – | |
| 3.Nc3 | 20% (3,954) | Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game | |
| 3.d4 | 17% (3,386) | Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack | |
| 3.d3 | 3% (545) | – | |
| 3.Bc4 | 2% (400) | Petrov's Defense: Italian Variation | |
| 3.Bb5 | 0% (33) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from King's Knight Opening 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
- Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game 5,690 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack 5,388 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack 3,393 games
- Petrov's Defense: Nimzowitsch Attack 1,921 games
- Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation 1,033 games
- Petrov's Defense: French Attack 553 games
- Petrov's Defense: Cozio Attack 528 games
- Petrov's Defense: Italian Variation 474 games
- Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit 378 games
- Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack 349 games
- Petrov's Defense: Paulsen Attack 308 games
- Petrov's Defense: Kaufmann Attack 251 games
- Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation 240 games
- Petrov's Defense: Cochrane Gambit 171 games
Top players' games in the Petrov's Defense, reviewed
Every Petrov's Defense line
- Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game 5,690 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack 5,388 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack 3,393 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Marshall Variation 3,064 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation 2,691 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Center Variation 2,139 games
- Petrov's Defense: Nimzowitsch Attack 1,921 games
- Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation 1,033 games
- Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit 817 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Mason-Showalter Variation 754 games
- Petrov's Defense: French Attack 553 games
- Petrov's Defense: Cozio Attack 528 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Jaenisch Variation 494 games
- Petrov's Defense: Italian Variation 474 games
- Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit 378 games
- Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack 349 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main Line 343 games
- Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit Accepted 318 games
- Petrov's Defense: Paulsen Attack 308 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Murrey Variation 276 games
- Petrov's Defense: Kaufmann Attack 251 games
- Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation 240 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Center Attack 194 games
- Petrov's Defense: Cochrane Gambit 171 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation 162 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Mason Variation 134 games
- Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation 115 games
- Petrov's Defense: Cochrane Gambit, Center Variation 87 games
- Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack 58 games
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