Caissa Codex
C42

Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack

Chess diagram: Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack after 9. cxd5

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Statistics from Lichess

9,901 games: White 48.1% / Draw 9.9% / Black 42.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
9,3189,318
482482
7272
1919
77
11
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

0.00 The position is about equal

Best play: 9... Nxd3 10. Qxd3 Qxd5 11. Re1 Bf5 12. g4 Bg6 13. Nc3 Nxc3 14. Qxc3

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack (ECO C42, Open Games) is a variation of Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Jaenisch Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. cxd5 (9 moves).

In 9,901 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.1%, Black 42.0% and 9.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Nxd3, in 94% of those games.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8…Nb4 9. cxd5, the position after Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Jaenisch Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack (C42)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/petrovs-defense-classical-attack-chigorin-variation-browne-attack

https://chesscodex.org/openings/petrovs-defense-classical-attack-chigorin-variation-browne-attack