- ECO code
- C42
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
- Family
- Petrov's Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 2,341
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1850–2026
Petrov's Defense is the opening filed under ECO code C42, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. It belongs to the Petrov's Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 2,341 games on this line — the 50th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1850 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 871 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 33% of those games, 50% end in a draw, and Black wins 17%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 11 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 15 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nxe5, played in 1,694 games, followed by 3.d4 (385) and 3.Nc3 (211). 3.Nxe5 leads into Petrov's Defense (C42). After 3.Nxe5 White scores 33% and Black 14%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Vachier Lagrave,M (128 games); on the Black side, Nepomniachtchi,I (104).
8 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Petrov's Defense (C42); Petrov's Defense (C42); Petrov's Defense (C42).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 33% (763)
- Draws 50% (1,184)
- Black 17% (394)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nxe5 | 1,694 | 33/53/14 | Petrov's Defense (C42) |
| 3.d4 | 385 | 35/46/19 | Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack |
| 3.Nc3 | 211 | 26/45/29 | — |
| 3.d3 | 43 | 44/33/23 | — |
| 3.Bc4 | 4 | 75/25/0 | — |
| 3.Bb5 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
| 3.Qe2 | 2 | 0/50/50 | — |
Variations from this position
- Petrov's Defense (C42) · 3.Nxe5 · 1,694 games
- Petrov's Defense (C42) · 3.Nxe5 d6 · 1,655 games
- Petrov's Defense (C42) · 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 · 1,578 games
- Petrov's Defense (C42) · 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 · 1,578 games
- Classical Attack · 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 · 894 games
- Nimzowitsch Attack · 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 · 404 games
- Modern Attack · 3.d4 · 385 games
- Classical Attack, Mason-Showalter Variation · 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 · 337 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
- King's Knight Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 · 21,895 games
Played most often by
As White
- Vachier Lagrave,M 128
- Shirov,A 115
- Anand,V 85
As Black
- Nepomniachtchi,I 104
- Marshall, Frank James 91
- Kramnik,V 74
Games per decade
- 1850s 9
- 1860s 2
- 1870s 6
- 1890s 21
- 1900s 52
- 1910s 64
- 1920s 18
- 1930s 9
- 1940s 7
- 1950s 10
- 1960s 28
- 1970s 37
- 1980s 87
- 1990s 149
- 2000s 493
- 2010s 478
- 2020s 871
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kacharava,Nikolozi | Ivanchuk,V | 1-0 | 2026 | 26th ch-EUR Indiv 2026 |
| Sevian,Samuel | Nepomniachtchi,I | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 5th Feb 2026 |
| Ivanchuk,V | Rosen,E | 1-0 | 2026 | Naroditsky Mem Blitz 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Kvaloy,Aksel Bu | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Gukesh,D | Deac,Bogdan-Daniel | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Croatia |
| Shirov,A | Strikovic,A | 1-0 | 2026 | Coop Saaremaa Rapid 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Petrov's Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code C42, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. It belongs to the Petrov's Defense family.
Is the Petrov's Defense good for White or for Black?
In 2,341 master games on this line White wins 33%, 50% are drawn and Black wins 17%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Petrov's Defense?
3.Nxe5 — played in 1,694 of the master games on this line, which leads into Petrov's Defense (C42).
Which grandmasters play the Petrov's Defense?
On the White side Vachier Lagrave,M (128), Shirov,A (115), Anand,V (85); on the Black side Nepomniachtchi,I (104), Marshall, Frank James (91), Kramnik,V (74).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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