Turn The Petrov Defense Deadly With Two Gambits

The Petrov Defense, also known as the ‘Russian Game,’ may have a reputation as a dull, ‘drawish’ opening—but it’s time to change all that! In this guide, we introduce two of the trickiest and deadliest openings in amateur chess: the Stafford Gambit for Black and the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit for White.

These openings are almost mirror images of each other. By sacrificing a pawn, a head start in development often gives rise to galloping attacks that secure a significant lead in the first ten moves.

Far from cheap bullet chess tricks, these openings garner some of the most exceptional statistics at club level across all time controls! Enter to discover two of the best-kept secrets in amateur chess.

Brief Background: Petrov’s Defense

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 is so commonplace that it doesn't even warrant a name. Instead of answering with the typical 2...Nc6, however, Black can choose to mirror White with 2. Nf6, the Petrov Defense (aka Petrov’s Defense).

Named after Alexander Petrov, a Russian chess master of the 19th century, it’s also often known as the ‘Russian Defense’ or ‘Russian Game.’ Two hundred years later, the opening is still highly regarded and remains frequently played by grandmasters to this day.

At the master level, the Petrov Defense has a reputation for being rather dry, often used to attain a draw from a quiet, positional game. Indeed, records show that a whopping 60% of master games starting with Petrov’s Defense do end in a draw!

But the Petrov Defense needn’t be dull and 'drawish’! In fact, there are variations for both Black and White that are some of the sharpest and most tactical of any chess opening. Statistics at lichess.org show that the Stafford Gambit and Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit are the strongest ways to play the Petrov Defense, even against players exceeding 2000 Elo!

The Best Way to Play the Petrov Defense as Black: The Stafford Gambit

The Stafford Gambit has been dubbed ‘the trickiest opening in chess.’ It also has an outstanding win rate and has famously conquered top players, including five-time world champion Viswanathan (Vishy) Anand!

This makes it all the more surprising, then, that this deadly gambit has only been popularized in recent years. 'The Stafford' was virtually unheard of until YouTube streamer IM Eric Rosen began championing it over the past decade.

The Stafford Gambit all begins with the strange-looking continuation: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6. It leaves the board looking like this:

This may not look ideal, yet Black is wide open for rapid development. A knight is already in the game, and the clear e- and d-files allow for immediate development of both bishops and the queen. Meanwhile, White is left with only one pawn off the starting blocks.

The main idea is to go after White’s f2-pawn before punishing White's clumsy attempts to defend it. Let’s take a look at how to crush the most common ways that White may continue.

5. Nc3

A very common and natural way for White to protect its sole central pawn is to play 5. Nc3. As with most lines of the Stafford Gambit, you need to continue with 5...Bc5 and, if White will let you, 6...Ng4.

The most commonly played line highlights the terrible fate White can wind up in very quickly: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ng4 7. O-O Qh4. It leaves the board looking like this:

This is classic Stafford Gambit material and a great demonstration of just how quickly you can achieve a winning position!

5. d3

White’s other common reply to the Stafford Gambit is 5. d3. While objectively sound, White can still readily fall prey to the 101 traps that this chess opening is famous for!

Here’s an example of a stunning queen sacrifice that is seen remarkably often in Stafford Gambit games. Can you see how Black can now win the game in the next two moves?

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bg5 Nxe4 7. Bxd8:

Did you find it? 7. Bxf2+ forces 8. Ke2, and believe it or not, 8...Bg4# is checkmate!

5. e5

Another way for White to try to preserve its pawn advantage is to push the pawn to e5. An interesting response that works especially well in blitz games is 5...Ne4. Coaxing White into a dastardly trap, 6. d3 seems like a natural move, yet it fails to 6. Bc5. If White goes ahead to capture the knight, Black wins a queen. Can you see how?

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d3 Bc5

Did you find the trap? 7...Bxf2+ 8. Kxf2 Qxd1, and the queen is lost.

What if White Doesn’t Play 3. Nxe5?

White's most common move against the Petrov Defense is 3. Nxe5. But what if your opponent plays something else? Then, you can’t play the Stafford Gambit. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have some fun!

The Four Knights Game (3. Nc3 Nc6)

The most common alternative to the Petrov Defense main line is the Four Knights Game. Instead of capturing the pawn on e5, White develops its queenside knight and Black does the same (3. Nc3 Nc6).

The Four Knights Game has a reputation for being rather quiet and positional. But there is a trick that's well worth knowing to spice things up!

Curiously, White's most common continuation of the Four Knights Game is 4. Bc4, but it's a weak choice. Black can employ a clever tactic to win an advantage. Can you see how?

Did you find it? After 4...Nxe4 5. Nxe4, Black can fork White's bishop and knight with 5...d5. Well worth knowing when heading into the Four Knights Game!

The Best Way to Counter Petrov’s Defense as White: The Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit

An outrageously effective way to answer Petrov’s Defense as White is the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit. It looks like this:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3

The little-known Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit really is like the Stafford Gambit plus an extra tempo! This only goes to make all the tricks and traps even more venomous. This gambit enjoys a cult following and is one of the highest-scoring openings for White in online chess games.

Since this is the Stafford Gambit in reversed colors, you’ve probably already guessed that you'll be playing Ng5 and hunting f7. Black's only way to prevent this while preserving its central pawn is 5...f6, but it's a funny-looking move! Most opponents will play something much more disastrous, such as 5...d6.

5...d6

In amateur chess, Black’s most common ways to continue are by playing 5…Nc6 and 5…d6. Since neither of these do anything to prevent 6. Ng5 and a vicious attack on f7 are both mistakes.

The most common line in the case of 5...d6 follows: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3 d6 6. Ng5 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6. Can you see White’s killer move now?

Yes! 8. Qf3 immediately double attacks f7 and b7. Since Black can’t defend both, White scores a winning advantage in the first ten moves.

5...Nc6

It won't surprise you to learn that 5...Nc6 is equally disastrous. The extraordinary thing is just how many traps you have at your disposal! Let's take the example below, which makes an excellent puzzle. White to move and win a queen in three moves.

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3 Nc6 6. Ng5 Qf6 7. Bxf7+ Kd8

Solution: After 8. Ne6+, Black is forced into 8...Ke7. 9. Bg5 finishes the job by pinning the queen to the king!

Top Tip! The Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit can be more reliably reached through the Bishop’s Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3), culminating in the same position!

Final Thoughts: Gambits Could Be the Future of the Petrov Defense!

If you thought the Petrov Defense was a boring opening, you might just have had your mind blown by the gambits you discovered here. It’s true that both land you up with doubled pawns and down on material, and that’s why they're rarely seen in classical grandmaster games.

In amateur chess, however, these venomous gambits are an astute choice. Few opponents will know the right moves, and statistics show you’re far more likely to win with these than any other variations of the Petrov Defense. To cap it all off, you’ll also have endless fun doing so!