The Petroff: an Expert Repertoire for Black

In this book the reader will find an opening repertoire for Black against 1. e4, based on the Petroff Defence and designed to be used up to the highest level. For many years this opening has served as the main black weapon for chess giants as Vladimir Kramnik and Boris Gelfand.
The Petroff Defence is especially suitable for positionally-oriented players who like to obtain a solid and reliable game after the opening. The theoretical material in the book has been thoroughly prepared and systematized. The many new ideas and novelties have all been explained in a way designed to make it easier for the reader to understand and employ them in his own games.

Contents

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Part 1. All White Replies w/o 2.Nf3
1 Seldom Played Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 Vienna Game. 2.Nc3 Nf6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3 King’s Gambit. 2.f4 exf4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4 Bishop’s Opening. 2.Bc4 Nf6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Part 2. All White Replies w/o 3.d4 and 3.Nxe5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
5 Three Knights Game. 3.Nc3 Bb4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
6 Belgrade Gambit. Scotch Four Knights. 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 ed . . . . . 56
7 Glek Variation. 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
8 Four Knights Game. 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 

Part 3. Petroff Defence 3.d4
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4
9 4.dxe5 d5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
10 4.Bd3 d5 5.dxe5 Be7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
11 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nc3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
12 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.0-0 Nxe5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
13 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.Qh5 Qf6 . . . . 101
14 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.Nc3 Nxc3 . . . . 105
15 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.c4 c6 . . . . . 108

Part 4. Petroff Defence 3.Nxe5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6
16 4.Nxf7 Kxf7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
17 4.Nc4 Nxe4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
18 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4; 5.Qe2; 5.Bd3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
6
19 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c3 f5 . . . . 136
20 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4 Nf6 . . 145
21 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Nxc3 . . . . . . . . 157
22 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4
9.cxd5; 9.Re1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
23 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0
10.a3 Nc6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
24 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0
10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.Bf4 dc. . . . 180
25 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0
10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd Qxd5
15.Bf4 Rac8 16.Qa4; 16.g3; 16.Bd3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
26 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0
10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd Qxd5
15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3 Be4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
27 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0
10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd Qxd5
15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3 h6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
28 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Bf4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
29 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Complete Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246