Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
19,368 games: White 47.6% / Draw 4.3% / Black 48.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 8,3468,346 | ||
| 2,6822,682 | ||
| 2,0872,087 | ||
| 1,2211,221 | ||
| 1,0621,062 | ||
| 833833 | ||
| 829829 | ||
| 670670 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
0.00 The position is about equal
Best play: 2... c5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 e5 7. Qd3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Pirc Defense, reached after 1. e4 d6 2. h4 (2 moves).
In 19,368 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.6%, Black 48.0% and 4.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 2…Nf6, in 43% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack
2…c6 scores best for Black: 51.8%, with Black winning 50.1% and White 46.4% of 1,221 games. The most played, 2…Nf6, scores 51.4% in 8,346 games, and 2…h5 scores lowest: 47.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 2…c5.
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. “Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack (B00)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/rat-defense-petruccioli-attack