Chess openings / Petrov's Defense
Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game
Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game (C42) starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3. In 5,690 games between strong players, White wins 42%, 15% are drawn and Black wins 43%; the most played move is 3…Nc6 (72%).
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3
- ECO
- C42
- Games between strong players
- 5,690
- To move
- Black
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…Nc6 | 72% (4,071) | Four Knights Game | |
| 3…Bb4 | 22% (1,265) | – | |
| 3…d6 | 3% (176) | – | |
| 3…Bc5 | 2% (107) | – | |
| 3…d5 | 1% (60) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from Petrov's Defense 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
More Petrov's Defense lines
- 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
Played the Petrov's Defense lately?
Enter your Chess.com or Lichess username: every move of your game labelled from Brilliant to Blunder, and where you left theory. Free, no account.