Petrov Defense - A Rock-Solid Way to Meet 1.e4

Among the many openings chess has to offer, the Petrov Defense is one of the oldest and most celebrated. Played at the top level since the 19th century, it's considered one of the most solid replies available to Black, and it's still widely played today. In this article, we'll take a close look at this opening. We'll go through some famous games built on this defense, and we'll see how it can be played successfully.

What Is the Petrov Defense?

The underlying idea goes back centuries, all the way to the Portuguese player Pedro Damiano around the year 1500, but the opening takes its name from the Russian master Alexander Petrov, who analyzed it in the first Russian chess manual back in 1824. His compatriot Carl Jaenisch took the same lines apart a generation later, and it is that pair of Russian investigations that gave the opening its other name, the Russian Game. That's why you'll also see this opening called Petrov's Defense, the Petroff Defense, the Russian Game, or the Russian Defense.

This defense is defined by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6.

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Black answers White's knight move with a knight of their own, mirroring the position move for move. That symmetry is exactly what makes the Petrov Defense so solid and so hard to crack, and it's why plenty of players reach for it when they want to shut down White's ambitions. Many strong players use it specifically to steer a game toward a draw. Don't let that reputation fool you though, some lines still carry real venom.

The Petrov Defense Trap You Must Know

The Petrov Defense is home to one of the most famous opening traps in all of chess. Let's go back to our starting position.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

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White continues by grabbing the e5 pawn.

3.Nxe5

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At this point, Black's best move is to hit the knight on e5 with ...d6 before taking the pawn on e4. Unfortunately, that's not what happens in this trap line.

3...Nxe4 4.Qe2!!

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White's queen slides cleverly onto the same file as the black king. The black knight is under attack. 4...d5 5.d3 doesn't change the situation. So Black naturally retreats the knight.

4...Nf6

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Now comes the most famous discovered check in the history of chess.

5.Nc6+

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Black has to answer the check on the very next move. White's knight will then scoop up the black queen.

The Main Variations of the Petrov Defense

Here are the main variations of the Petrov Defense.

The Steinitz Variation of the Petrov Defense (also called the Modern Variation)

This variation comes about after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4.

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White tries to stir up a little chaos in the Petrov Defense, which is not as easy as it sounds, as you'll see in the following game from the French prodigy Étienne Bacrot.

The 3.Nxe5 Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5

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White accepts a symmetrical position and tries to show that being a tempo up can make all the difference.

The game very often continues 3...d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4.

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From here, White can choose between three main tries, 5.d4, 5.c4, and 5.Qe2.

The Cochrane Gambit

If you like adventure, the Cochrane Gambit will give you plenty of it.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7

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In exchange for the sacrificed piece, White gets two pawns, a huge pawn center, and active squares to develop on. Black has to tread carefully over the next few moves to avoid going under. A good response to the Cochrane Gambit in the Petrov Defense is 4...Kxf7 5.Bc4+ d5!

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Black closes the diagonal on White's bishop after 6.exd5 Bd6, reaching a good position. So White needs to look for something other than an immediate check with the bishop.

Here's a celebrated game between two world champions in this opening.

The final move is quite extraordinary. By luring the white rook onto c5, Black secures the draw. After 32.Rxc5 Ng3+, the knight steps aside and uncovers a check from the queen on b1, and White has nothing better than 33.Kh2 Nf1+ 34.Kg1 Ng3+, repeating the position. Stepping onto f2 instead loses on the spot to 33...Ne4+, a knight fork that picks up the rook on c5.

This game is about as close to perfection as it gets for both sides in how they handle the Cochrane Gambit. As you can see, the Cochrane Gambit is far from a dubious sideline. It's a dangerous sacrifice that Black has to be ready to meet.

Famous Games with the Petrov Defense

Let's start with a fierce attack from World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.

This game shows that this defense can absolutely be played in an active style. Now let's turn to a win for White, with a truly remarkable attack from Gashimov.

And to finish, here's a famous blunder by Nigel Short in the Russian Game.

Your Move

We hope this helps you win, or at least draw, a few more games with Black.

• Browse our overview of the main chess openings to see where the Petrov Defense fits in.
• Discover the Sicilian Defense, Black's sharpest answer to 1.e4.
• Learn the Ruy Lopez and the Italian Game, two of White's classic ways to meet 1...e5.

That's it for our article on the Petrov Defense. Feel free to share it if you enjoyed it.