The Petroff Defense

GM Damian Lemos

Lemos Deep Dive #9

One of the favorite openings of both Karpov and Kramnik, the Petroff is as solid as a rock, easy to
learn and offers a ton of ways to turn the tables on those 1.e4 players!

The Petroff is starting to come back in a big way with Fabiano Caruana just one of the top GMs
who relies on it when it matters.

In this comprehensive 8 hour Deep Dive course, GM Damian Lemos builds up your knowledge of
this powerful opening weapon, demonstrating how to combat each of the White sidelines and
mainlines in turn.

As well as the recommended lines and tricky novelties, GM Lemos shows how these ideas play
out in practice with analysis of instructive games, making sure you always know what to do next.
This course is full of up-to-date coverage of the Petroff, featuring the most recent top-level
games from the Sinquefield Cup August 2018 and the 2018 Candidates Tournament.

Take those e4 players out of their comfort zone and into your territory with the flexible Petroff – a
positionally sound opening full of hidden bite!

Summary:

Introduction: About this course

Chapter 1: Anti-Petroff Systems

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 (1)

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 (2)

Chapter 2: The Two Knights Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3)

Chapter 3: The 3.d4-Variation

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.dxe5 (1)
Part 3: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.dxe5 (2)

1
Chapter 4: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Early Deviations

Part 1: The Cochrane Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nd3 and 4.Nc4
Part 3: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nc4

Chapter 5: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Sidelines

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bd3

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qe2 (Exchange Variation)
Part 3: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 (Exchange Variation)

Chapter 6: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Mainline with 5.Nc3

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.Nc3 (1)

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.Nc3 (2)

Chapter 7: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Mainline with 5.d4

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.d4 & 9.Nc3

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.d4 & 9.Re1

Chapter 8: Model Games

Part 1: Kamsky – Karpov (1)

Part 2: Kamsky – Karpov (2)
Part 3: Karjakin – Caruana
Part 4: Lautier – Gelfand
Part 5: Carlsen – Caruana (1)
Part 6: Carlsen – Caruana (2)

2
The Petroff Defense: General Concepts

1. The Petroff Defense (also known as the Russian Defense) is a chess opening for
Black against 1.e4 which starts with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 (see the diagram
below).

The opening is named after the Russian chess player Alexander Petrov who played
it in the mid-19th century. It is considered to be one of the safest and most solid
openings you can play with Black against 1.e4.

2. Playing the Petroff Defense can be a vital alternative for all Black players who play
stick to 1…e5 and are tired of entering the highly theoretical terrain in the Ruy
Lopez, the Italian Game or the Scotch Opening. The Petroff allows the Black player
to immediately take the opponent out of his comfort zone by playing a move
which is not as frequently played as 2..Nc6.

3. Generally speaking, playing 2…Nf6 is a very natural way off reacting to White’s
threat of Nxe5. Instead of defending the e5-pawn with a move like 2…Nc6, Black
attacks one of White’s pawns himself.

4. When playing the Petroff Defense with Black, it is key to not fall into a famous
opening trap among beginners. After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5, Black
should not play the move 3…Nxe4?, immediately trying to restore the material

3
 balance. This move backfires after 4.Qe2! Nf6? Nc6+ (see the diagram below),
when White wins the queen.

Instead Black should first play 3…d6, forcing the White knight back and only then
capture on e4.

5. In the 1980s, the Petroff Defense was known as one of the toughest nuts to crack
for White and players like Kramnik, Anand and Gelfand used it with Black to
achieve easy draws at the top level. Since then, sadly, the Petroff got a reputation
of being a too drawish opening which is not suitable for many club players.

Today, however, thanks to the efforts of Super-GM Fabiano Caruana and other
strong GMs, the Petroff has attracted general attention again lately and slowly
finds its way back to the tournament halls.

6. Although many lines in the Petroff Defense are quite calm, there are still certain
sharp lines like the Cochrane Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7 – see
the diagram below) in which Black needs a certain amount of theoretical
knowledge.

4
7. Moreover, in some lines, it’s important to pay attention to exact move orders in the
early stage of the opening. Therefore, don’t play on autopilot and take note of
little subtleties and move order tricks. If you play the Petroff Defense regularly,
opponents may prepare for you and recognize if you play an inaccurate move-
order to reach the positions you’re aiming for.

8. The reason why many Black players refrain from playing the Petroff Defense is that
they think White can always get an easy draw and it’s extremely tough to win with
Black. However, this is only half the story.
It is true that White players can aim for calm very solid lines against the Petroff.
However, Black can always try to outplay his opponent in the middlegame.
Nowadays, White players who only want to draw can achieve and very safe and
tough to crack position against almost any opening for Black.

Therefore, it’s key to not lose patience and wait for chances in the middlegame
and endgame. Psychologically speaking, you should be happy to see that you got
easy equality out of the opening with Black instead of worrying about not having
an advantage or a major imbalance in a wild position already.

Moreover, you often get positions from the Petroff Defense which might be
objectively equal, but a lot easier to play for Black from a practical point of view.
According to GM Lemos, this is a factor which must not be underestimated.

5
 Today, many club players don’t take the time to closely evaluate positions and
variations on their own, but only take a brief look at the engine’s evaluation. This is
a huge misconception as even when the computer says the position is equal you
always have to proof that you can hold the balance at the board. However, this is
what many club players aren’t capable of.

9. Apart from this general knowledge on the Petroff Defense, GM Damian Lemos
suggests to constantly follow the games of strong players in the openings you
want to play. It is a wise decision to regularly check the games of the world’s
leading experts or your favorite players in this opening. You can watch their
approaches against different opening setups and become familiar with the key
concepts, latest trends or opening novelties. It is also key to know the classics in
the opening you play.

10. If you choose to play the Petroff Defense today, you’re in the comfortable situation
to choose from several strong players to follow.

Nowadays, the biggest expert in the Petroff Defense is undoubtedly Fabiano

Caruana, who frequently plays it against all the best players in the world. Other
strong players to follow are Vladimir Kramnik, Wesley So and Boris Gelfand.

11. White has several setups to choose against the Petroff Defense. In the following
chapters, GM Damian Lemos investigates them all step-by-step.

Chapter 1: Anti Petroff Systems

1. First of all, it is important to note that White can try to avoid playing against the
Petroff Defense by going for the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4.

6
2. However, Black can still play in the style of the Petroff Defense with 2..Nf6 3.d3 c6!
Black tries to punish White for playing a quick Bc4 in the opening by preparing the
move …d5.

3. Here, White should play 4.Nf3 (4.f4 is bad because of 4…d5 5.dxe5 Nxe4! 6.dxe4
Qh4+ 7.Kf1 dxc4 – see the diagram below - with a clear advantage for Black.)

Against 4.Nf3, GM Damian Lemos suggests 4…Be7, a flexible move (4…d5 is the
main line) with which Black keeps his options open. He can still play …d5 or go for
a more strategic maneuvering game.
It’s important to keep in mind that 5.Nxe5? (see the diagram below) does not
work for white in view of 5…Qa5+, winning the knight on e5.

7
4. After 5.0-0 d6 (Black now has to defend the pawn on e5) 6.Bb3 0-0 7.Re1, Black
has an easy game and can choose between two moves – 7…Nbd7 (with the
positional threat of …Nc5, winning the bishop pair) and 7…Nc5.

5. After 7…Nbd7, sample line for Black goes 8.c3 (allowing the bishop to retreat to
c2) 8…Nc5 9.Bc2 Bg4! 10.Nbd2 Ne6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nf1 Nd7 13.Ng3 Bxf3
14.Qxf3 g6 (see the diagram below) stopping the knight on g3 from becoming
active. Here, Black’s key idea is to play …Bg5, exchanging White’s good bishop.

8
6. After the alternative 7…Re8 (see Hou Yifan – Ivanchuk, Shenzhen 2017) 8.c3, Black
has the idea to play …Bf8 and …Be6, neutralizing the White bishop on the a2-g8
diagonal. Later, Black has the idea to play in the center with …d5.

It’s also important to note that the move 8.Ng5 can be met by 8…d5 9.exd5 cxd5
10.Rxe5 Nc6 11.Re1 Bg4 (see the diagram below) – Black goes for a pawn
sacrifice which promises him a huge lead in development and active piece play.

9
Chapter 2: The Two Knights Variation (1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3)
1. When playing the Two Knights Variation after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3, White’s
idea is to trick Black into a Scotch or a Ruy Lopez after, for example, 3...Nc6 4.d4
(Scotch Opening).

2. To keep the game in Petroff territory, GM Lemos suggests to play the move
3...Bb4 with Black.

3. Here, White has three options – 4.Bc4, 4.Nd5 and 4.Nxe5.

4. After 4.Bc4 Bxc3 5.dxc3 d6 (see the diagram below), Black destroys White’s pawn
structure, gets rid of his dark-squared bishop, plays ...d6 (placing most his pawns
on dark-squares) and his light-squared bishop on c8 becomes very powerful.
Due to the fact that the position is not open, White’s bishop pair doesn’t outweigh
Black’s structural superiority.

10
 One key point in this variation is that Black should not capture on e4 which is too
risky. Instead, moves like ...0-0, ...Nbd7, ...Re8, ...Nf8 with the idea to transfer the
knight to g6, are sensible.

5. After 4.Nd5 Nxd5 5.exd5 d6, Black has nothing to fear. He can castle kingside and
bring all his pieces to natural squares.

6. 4.Nxe5 is the critical move against Black’s setup. Black should know some precise
moves here.
11
 According to GM Damian Lemos, Black is best advised to play 4...0-0 (not taking
the pawn back with 4...Bxc3 dxc3 Nxe4 Qg4 when White is clearly better).

It’s key to understand that after 4...0-0, White can’t hold on to the e4-pawn for
long. Black has a huge lead in development and White needs to catch up.

7. If White tries to protect his pawn on e4 with 5.d3, Black has the strong 5...d5! ( see
the diagram below).

A sample variation goes 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Bd2 Re8 8.f4 Bxc3 9.bxc3 f6 and White
loses a piece.

8. Therefore, White’s two main moves 5.Nd3 and 5.Be2 which usually transpose into
the same variation.

5.Nd3 Bxc3 dxc3 Nxe4 7.Be2 Re8 or 5.Be2 Re8 6.Nd2 Bxc3 7.dxc3 Nxe4 (see
the diagram below).

12
 Black has easy development with ...d6, ...Nd7 (planning to transfer the knight to c5
or f6), ...b6 and ...Bb7 and ...h6 (aiming to avoid the pin with Bg5 after the Black
knight moves to f6).

Chapter 3: The 3.d4-Variation

1. The 3.d4-Variation arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 (see the
diagram below).

13
2. Here, White has a choice between the moves 4.Bd3 or 4.dxe5.

3. After 4.Bd3 d5 5.dxe5 (5.Nxe5 is analyzed in the full games section) 5...Nc5.

Here, White has two moves again - 6.0-0 or 6.Be2 (wasting a tempo but keeping
the bishop pair).

After 6.Be2 (see the diagram below), Black has easy development for all his pieces
with ...Be7, ...0-0. Black also has ideas to play ...Nc5-e6 and to push ...c5, gaining
more control over the center, followed by ...Nc6. The e5-pawn is a potential target
in the middlegame. Black has ideas to play maneuvers like ...Re8, ...g6, ...Be7-f8-g7,
eyeing this pawn.

14
 After 6.0-0, Black can continue with 6...Be7. Black does not need to grab bishop
on d3 immediately. If White wants to saves the bishop, he has to play 7.Be2 which
transposes into the 6.Be2-variation.

If White goes for another developing move like 7.Nc3, Black has an easy game as
all his pieces can come to natural squares. Black can play ...c6, ...Bg4, ...0-0 and
eventually attack the potentially weak pawn on e5.

4. After 4.dxe5 Black should play the move 5...d5, claiming space in the center and
giving extra protection to the knight.

15
 If White plays 5.Bd3 now, the game transposes to the variation covered earlier in
this chapter.
Therefore, the main move White has at his disposal is 5.Nbd2 (see the diagram
below), challening the Black knight on e4.

5. However, Black has a choice of three good moves here – 5...Nxd2, 5...Nc5 and
5...Qd7 (a move which looks weird at first glance but was recently played by GM
Fabiano Caruana). The fact that Black has three good moves at hand makes it a lot
harder for White players to prepare against you.

5...Nxd2 is a very solid choice and gives Black easy play. After 6.Bxd2 Be7, Black
wants to play ...0-0, ...c5 and ...Nc6. It’s a recurring theme that White’s pawn on e5
might become a target later in the game. If White placed his bishop on the active
square d3, it’s an additional idea for Black to exchange this strong light-squared
bishop with the maneuver ...Bc8-g4-h5-g6. The knight on c6 can sometimes be
transferred to the e6-square via d8. It’s key to keep in mind that knights are
excellent blockading pieces.

5...Nc5 is a move which keeps more material on the board. From c5, the knight
prevents White from placing his bishop on the active square d3. Yet, Black’s overall
strategy remains almost the same. He plays ...Be7, ...0-0.

5...Qd7, the move which Fabiano Caruana recently played, is a prophylactical

move, directed against Nxe4. The idea is that after 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Qxd7 (Black’s

16
queen is no longer on d8 and Black can recapture with the knight on d7.) 7...Nxd7
8.Nd2 (White’s knight on f3 was hanging.) 8...Nxe5 9.Nxe4 (see the diagram
below), Black reaches a symmetrical position in which he – and not White - is a
tempo up. Black can exploit this by playing a quick ...Bf5 and ...0-0-0.

In Caruana’s game, White did not capture the knight on e4 after 5...Qd7. Instead,
the game continued 6.Bd3 Nc5 7.Be2 (Black was threatening to take the bishop
on d3, getting the bishop pair.) 7...g6 8.Nb3 Ne6! (see the diagram below).

17
 The e5-pawn is a clear target which Black can attack later in the middlegame. On
top of that, the knight on e6 is excellently placed and controls plenty of key
squares like g5, f4, c5 and d4.

Chapter 4: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Early

Deviations
Part 1: The Cochrane Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7

1. The Cochrane Gambit is the most aggressive line which White can play against the
Petroff. It occurs after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7 (see the
diagram below).

2. At first glance, 4.Nxf7 might look as a mistake as White simply loses a piece for a
pawn without having developed any other piece. However, White has some ideas
in this gambit and Black needs to know how to react. For Black, it’s is worth
remembering some concrete lines and moves against the Cochrane Gambit.

3. After 4…Kxf7, White continues with 5.d4, grabbing space in the center and freeing
his pieces.

18
4. Here, Black needs to know the key move 5…c5! (see the diagram below) to get a
good position. The move 5…c5! is a pawn sacrifice which allows Black to quickly
develop his pieces.

5. After 6.dxc5 (After 6.c3 Nc6 7.Bc4+, Black can play 7…d5! 8.exd5 Na5 with a close
to winning advantage; After 6.Bc4+, Black can again play 6…d5! 7.exd5 b5! 8.Bxb5
Qxd5 with a clear edge.) 6…Nc6!, Black still has a piece for two pawns and the
better development. Yet, Black needs to be careful as his king is exposed on f7.

6. Now, White is more or less forced to play 7.Bc4+ as otherwise, Black could simply
play …Be6 on the next move, securing his king.

After 7.Bc4+, Black plays 7…Be6 (7…Ke8 is an alternative but looks quite passive)
8.Bxe6+ Kxe6 9.0-0 Kf7 (see the diagram below).

19
 In this position, Black can slowly consolidate and make his extra piece count. The
only thing Black should remember is to meet 10.Qe2 (threatening Qc4+) with
10…Qe8!, threatening to capture the e4-pawn and to meet Qc4+ with …Qe6.

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nd3 and 4.Nc4

1. After 3...d6, White does not necessarily need to retreat his knight to f3. He can
also play 4.Nd3 or 4.Nc4. Although these moves are sidelines for a reason, it’s still
worth checking these two moves quickly.

2. After 4.Nd3 Nxe4 (Black needs to recapture the pawn.) 5.Qe2 (pinning the knight
on e4) 5...Qe7, Black has nothing to worry about. White’s knight on d3 is
misplaced. Black can continue with ...Nc6, ...Bf5 and ...0-0-0.

20
3. After 4.Nc4 Nxe4 (Again, Black needs to restore the material balance.) 5.Qe2 Qe7
6.Ne3!?, White threatens to play Nd5 on the next move.

4. GM Damian Lemos recommends the move 7...Be6 for Black. The bishop on e6
controls the f5- and d5-square. On top of that, the bishop makes room for the
king to castle queenside after ...Nc6. If White challenges Black’s knight on e4 with
8.Nc3, Black can either play 8...Nxc3 with an equal position or play 8...Nf6,
keeping more pieces on the board (see Rapport – Wei Yi, Wijk aa Zee 2017).

21
 Chapter 5: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Sidelines
Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bd3

1. The move 5.Bd3 (see the diagram below)was recently played by Wesley So against
Fabiano Caruana and leads to an interesting sideline. White attacks the knigth on
e4 and develops a piece. The main drawback of this move, however, is that the
bishop blocks the d-pawn and White cannot seize space in the center.

2. GM Damian Lemos suggests to play 5...d5 as Black. After 6.0-0 (6.Bxe4 dxe4 7.Qe2
Qe7 with equality) 6...Be7 7.Re1 Nd6 (see the diagram below), Black has nothing
to fear.

22
 There are no tricks on the e-file (8.Nc3 c6 9.Qe2 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 and Black
can finally castle kingside) and Black has a solid grip on the center. Next, he can
play ...0-0, ...c6, ...Bg4 and ...Nd7.

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qe2 (Exchange Variation)

1. Another move which White can play on move 5 is 5.Qe2 (see the diagram below),
pinning and threatening the knight on e4.

This move usually leads to an exchange of queens and is thus called the Exchange
Variation. After Black plays 5...Qe7 (defending the knight on e4 and breaking the
pin), White has a choice of two moves – 6.d3 and 6.Nc3.

23
 2. Against 6.d3, Black should retreat his knight to f6 and quickly exchange queens
before White manages to play Bc1-e3 and 0-0-0. Black obtains an equal position
without any weaknesses and can slowly build up pressure in the middlegame.

3. Against 6.Nc3, Black can capture on c3 (6...Nxc3 7.dxc3). Now, White threatens to
play Bc1-e3 and to castle queenside. Therefore, Black should quickly exchange
queens. After 7...Qxe2+ 8.Bxe2, Black can follow up with 8...Nc6 (see the diagram
below), not showing his cards yet. He can still castle kingside or queenside.

Part 3: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 (Exchange Variation)

1. The position after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 (see
the diagram below) is also called the Exchange Variation as the game can easily
transpose into the French Defense Exchange Variation after the moves 5...Nf6
6.d4 d5.

24
 Yet, GM Lemos does not recommend the move 6...d5 for Black as the best Black
can hope for in this symmetrical position with a tempo down is a equalizing.
Moreover, there are some new theoretical developments in this line (Magnus
Carlsen lately tried 7.Bd3 Bd6 8.Qe2+ Be6 9.c4 with some interesting
complications) which you might not be familiar with if you’re not playing the
French Defense with Black.

2. Therefore, GM Damian Lemos recommends the move 5...Nf6 6.d4 Be7. Black
castles as soon as possible and keeps a flexible position. He can still decide to play
...d5 or not, according to the circumstances.

3. After 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 (see the diagram below), Black has several interesting moves
to play. He can go for 8...Bg4 (pinning the knight on f3 and considering the
maneuver ...Bg4-h5-g6, trading off White’s good bishop on d3), 8...Re8 (a simple
move, fighting for the e-file and planning to maneuver the knight from b8 to the
kingside with the maneuver...Nb8-d7-f8-g6) and 8...c5 (trying to challenge White’s
central pawn on d4 and to unbalance the position).

25
Chapter 6: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Mainline
with 5.Nc3
1. One of the two big mainlines of the Petroff Defense arises after the moves 1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.Nc3 (see the diagram below).

2. White’s idea behind the move 5.Nc3 is to speed up his development. If Black takes
on c3, White recaptures with the d-pawn and quickly plays Be3, Qd2 and 0-0-0.
26
 This position is extremely tough for Black to play as White has an easy way to
launch an attack on the kingside and it’s not easy to generate counterplay for
Black. White’s doubled pawns on the queenside give his king some extra
protection.

3. Yet, the move 5...Nxc3 is still frequently played and was even played in a very
recent game by the biggest expert in the Petroff, Fabiano Caruana. Still, it’s key for
Black to understand how to play in this variation.
If you want to play this move, it’s highly recommendable to carefully watch GM
Damian Lemos’ analysis on the game Carlsen – Caruana, Sinquefield Cup 2018 in
the full games section.

4. It is also key to note that the move 5...Bf5? (protecting the knight on e4) loses on
the spot. The former World Champion Vishy Anand played this move with Black
against Alonso Zapata at Biel in 1988 and had to resign after only six moves.
White wins after 6.Qe2! (pinning and threatening the knight on e4) 6...Qe7 7.Nd5!
(see the diagram below), attacking the queen on e7. If the queen leaves the 7th
rank, White captures on c7 with his knight. If the queen leaves the e-file, however,
White pins and wins the knight on e4 with the move d3.

5. GM Damian Lemos’ main recommendation against the move 5.Nc3 is the simple
move 5...Nf6. Black keeps a solid position and tries to quickly develop his kingside
before make a committal decision about his central pawn structure.

27
6. After 6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 (see the diagram below), Black has several ideas to play
for.

He can play ...Re8 and maneuver his queenside knight to the kingside (with the
well-known maneuver ...Nb8-d7-f8-g6), he can bring his bishop out to g4 and he
can play in the center with either the solid ...d5 or the more aggressive ...c5.
Sometimes, Black can also play ...b6 and bring his light-squared bishop to b7.

7. One key game between Anand and Kramnik in the 5.Nc3-Variation went 5...Nf6
6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.h3 (stopping Black from bringing his bishop to g4) 8...Re8
9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Re1 Nf8 11.Bg5 Be6 12.Qd2 Ng6 13.d5 Bd7 14.Bf1 h6 15.Be3
c5 16.dxc6 bxc6 (see the diagram below) and Black was perfectly fine.

28
Chapter 7: The 3.Nxe5-Variation – Mainline
with 5.d4

1. The other mainline in the Petroff Defense arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 (see the diagram below).

29
2. Here, Black’s main move is 5...d5, overprotecting the knight on e4 and freeing the
dark-squared bishop. White continues with 6.Bd3, developing his bishop and
preparing to castle kingside, and Black has several moves at his disposal.

3. In this course, GM Damian Lemos recommends the trendy move 6...Bd6 which was
recently popularized by none other than Super-GM Fabiano Caruana. The bishop is
actively placed on d6 and eyes White’s pawn on h2.

4. After 7.0-0 0-0, White’s only try to fight for an advantage is 8.c4 (see the diagram
below).

5. If White plays a move like 8.Re1?!, Black might even obtain the better cards after
8...Bf5 (adding more protection to the knight on e4) 9.Nbd2 Re8 (see the diagram
below). With the strong knight on e4, Black has more space.

30
 On top of that, White has some issues to finish his development. If he moves his c-
pawn, for example, Black has some tricks against the loose White bishop on d3.
After 10.c3? Nxf2! 11.Kxf2 Bxd3, Black is clearly better.

6. After the main continuation 8.c4 c6 (see the diagram below), White has to main
tries – 9.Nc3 and 9.Re1.

Part 1: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.d4 & 9.Nc3

31
 1. With the move 9.Nc3, White not only attacks the Black knight on e4 but also the
pawn on d5. Hence, Black goes for a forcing continuation with 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3
dxc4 10.Bxc4 Bf5 (see the diagram below).

Black only has two pawn islands while White has three pawn islands. Although this
is not a huge factor now, it might become important if more pieces get exchanged
and the game heads towards an endgame.

2. So far, White players mainly tried two moves here – 12.Bg5 (played by Anish Giri
against Fabiano Caruana) and 12.Re1 (played by Vishy Anand against Fabiano
Caruana).

3. Against 12.Re1, Black can continue with 12...Nbd7. The idea is to either play the
maneuver ...Nd7-b6-d5 or ...b5, followed by ...Nd7-b6-d5, establishing a knigth on
d5 in both cases.

4. Against 12.Bg5, Black can continue with 12...Qa5, attacking the pawn on c3. With
the queen on a5, Black sometimes also has tactical tricks against the White bishop
on g5. Moreover, Black can go for ...Nd7, ...b5 and ...Nd7-b6-d5(c4), establishing a
blockade on the light squares and securing a nice outpost for the knight.

Part 2: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 5.d4 & 9.Re1

32
1. Apart from 9.Nc3, the other big main move for White is 9.Re1. Now, Black’s knight
on e4 is under attack and Black should defend it with 9...Bf5 (see the diagram
below).

2. Here, White’s two main moves are 10.Nc3 (attacking the knight on e4) and 10.Qb3
(attacking both, the pawn on d5 and on b7).

3. 10.Nc3 leads to a similar position as in the other big main line with 9.Nc3. Black
can play 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 (White’s queen is hanging, so he has to recapture on
c3.) 11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 dxc4 13.Qxc4 (see the diagram below).

33
 Black has a nice position with the better pawn structure and no attacking chances
for White. Again, Black has the idea to bring his knight to d7 and to play ...b5,
establishing a strong outpost for the knight on d5 or c4.

4. The most challenging move for Black in the variation after 9.Re1 Bf5 is 10.Qb3,
putting pressure on the d5-pawn and the b7-pawn.

5. Here, Black should go for Super-GM Fabiano Caruana’s latest idea – 10...Na6. It is
important to mention that Caruana also played 10...Qd7, but later improved the
variation for Black and played 10...Na6 (see the diagram below).

34
6. The idea of the move 10...Na6 is to either bring the knight to b4 or – surprisingly –
to c5. The latter idea is justified by tactical means. After 11.h3, for example, Black
can play the strong 11...Nc5! Black does not lose a piece as after 12.dxc5 Nxc5
(see the diagram below), Black recovers his material with the better position.

7. Yet, after 10...Na6, the first thing Black has to analyze is what happens if White
grabs the pawn with 11.Qxb7?
35
 The good news for Black is that 11.Qxb7? loses for White due to 11...Nb4! (see
the diagram below), attacking the bishop on d3, eyeing the c2-square for a
potential knight fork and caging in the queen on b7. Black can continue with ...Qf6,
followed by ...Rfb8, trapping the queen.

8. After 11.cxd5 (11.c5? Naxc5!), Black has a choice between the more solid 11...cxd5
and the wild 11...Nac5, leading to huge complications which are not easy to deal
with over the board for White.

9. After 11.Nc3, Black can either enter the hugely unbalanced endgame with a queen
for three minor pieces (11...Nac5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bxf5 Nxb3 14.axb3 dxc4 15.bxc4)
or play the variation which Caruana played against GM Najer with 11...dxc4
12.Bxc4 Nxc3 13.bxc3 b5 (driving the bishop away from the a2-g8 diagonal)
14.Bf1 Nc7 (see the diagram below).

36
 Chapter 8: Model Games
1. In order to properly learn a new opening, it is not enough to take a closer look at
theoretical lines, you also need to study some classical model games which were
played from the opening you want to play.

2. Checking complete games has various advantages. First of all, you get a better
overall understanding of the positions arising from your opening. The focus is less
on theory than on general understanding of the resulting middlegame and
endgame positions.

As the famous Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan once put it: “Study entire games. Your
study can become disjointed if you just learn an opening set-up. Don’t just study the
opening and early middlegame but instead play the entire game. Don’t just stop
when your side has a good position.”

The game Lautier – Gelfand (FIDE-Wch 1999), for example, is an excellent model
games which teaches you the middlegame plans for Black in the 3.d4-Variation
after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7
(6.Nxf7!? leads to a quick draw after 6...Kxf7 or a complicated fight after 6...Qh4!)
Bxd7 (see the diagram below).

37
3. Secondly, investigating complete games allows us to get familiar with many
additional opening ideas. In the game Karjakin – Caruana (Saint Louis 2017), for
example, Caruana plays the interesting move 10...Qd7 (see the diagram below)
against the 3.Nxe5-Variation – Mainline with 5.d4. (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6
4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 9.Re1 Bf5 10.Qb3 Qd7).

38
 Black protects his pawn on b7 and his bishop on f5. Yet, the move leads to very
sharp play after 11.Nc3 (increasing the pressure on e4) 11…Nxc3 12.Bxf5 Qxf5
13.Qxb7!? and here 13…Qd7 or 13…Ne4!? (see the diagram below).

4. That said, the Petroff Defense is flexible enough to allow to vary a little from one
game to the next, thus avoiding your opponents’ specific preparation.

5. It’s important to keep in mind that instead of playing different openings with Black
against 1.e4, you can also vary within your opening system. This allows you to
become an opening expert in the one opening you play and at the same time, it’s
still tough for your opponents to prepare against you as they don’t know which
line you’ll play in the next game. You can see the lines which GM Damian Lemos
presents as a starting point to play the Petroff Defense and step-by-step add more
and more variations to your repertoire.

6. Also check the most recent games which strong players played in your opening. In
fashionable openings like the Petroff Defense, it’s key to stay up-to-date and to
familiarize yourself with the latest theoretical developments.

In the course, GM Damian Lemos analyses a very recent game which was played
39
between World Champion Magnus Carlsen and World Championship Contender
Fabiano Caruana in summer 2018.
Here, for instance, Magnus, playing White, came up with an interesting novelty in
one of the big main lines of the Petroff Defense. After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 (GM Damian Lemos recommends the
move 5…Nf6 in the course, but 5…Nxc3 is the main move and a vital alternative for
Black) 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 (White prepares to castle queenside) 7…Nc6 8.Bc4N (see
the diagram below).

So far, almost all strong titled players went for the move 8.Qd2, preparing to castle
queenside. Yet, the move 8.Qd2 allows Black to play 8…Be6, bringing his own
light-squared bishop out and preparing to castle queenside, too. With 8.Bc4,
Magnus stops Black from opting for this idea.

It’s key to understand that Black usually does not want to castle kingside in this
variation as White has a very easy way to set up an attack against Black’s king,
while his own king on the queenside remains safe. From a practical point of view,
the position is a lot easier to play for White.

In the game, Caruana had to go for a deep think after 8.Bc4 and went for 8…0-0
9.Qd2 Bf5 (see the diagram below).

40
As you can see, Caruana castled kingside anyway. Yet, he had to play very precisely
to not get crushed by Magnus’ kingside attack.

41