Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
2,283 games: White 43.5% / Draw 3.6% / Black 52.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,1751,175 | ||
| 540540 | ||
| 415415 | ||
| 5757 | ||
| 3838 | ||
| 2020 | ||
| 1313 | ||
| 99 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.44 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... Nxd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 6. e5 Nd5 7. Qe4 c6 8. Qxd4 Qb6 9. Qd2
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit (ECO C42, Open Games) is a gambit in Petrov's Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. d4 (4 moves).
In 2,283 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.5%, Black 52.9% and 3.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…exd4, in 51% of those games.
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How to play against Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit
4…d6 scores best for Black: 58.7%, with Black winning 57.3% and White 40.0% of 415 games. The most played answer, 4…exd4, scores lowest: 54.0% in 1,175 games. Stockfish's first choice is 4…Nxd4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Petrov's Defense: Moody Gambit (C42)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/petrovs-defense-moody-gambit