Petroff Defense

Countless books make the statement that this defence is super solid, yet.....no one plays it! Also, I have found it difficult to play. Any help here?

If you search the forums for 'petrov' and 'petroff', you will find so much info :) hope it helps

Thank you

Thanks to 'fiveofswords' and 'petrip'! I appreciate your insight. I had a large book on the Petroff but, I got lost in it trying to find some play! I know also that a number of years ago a world championship match was centered around the opening. But it seems that only Grandmasters do well (like in the Philidor)! Maybe I will try it again using a different approach!

Thanks for your input 'Harbring 3r" !

If this gives you an idea about the Petroff, I started all 5 of my games as Black in the US Open two weeks ago with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6, and nobody even dared to play the Petroff Proper, if that tells you what White thinks about it.  I faced the following:

Round 1 - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 Nf6 6.Be2 and only later on she played d4 - Kinda a bad version of the Exchange French for White - She was 1369, I won

Round 3 - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.O-O Nxb5 6.Nxb5 - A bad version of the Four Knights Game for White - He was 1696, I won

Round 5 - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 Nf6 6.d4 d5 - A direct transposition to the Exchange French - He was 2165, I won

Round 7 - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Bc5 6.Nxe5 - A highly theoretical Four Knights Game - He was 2252, I won

Round 9 - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Nxf3 6.Qxf3 - A simpler line of the Four Knights Game - He was 2324, We drew.

If you know the Petroff Proper, you would realize it's not as drawish as people make it out to be.  You have to be able to handle symmetrical pawn structures with an open e-file.  That doesn't equate to a draw.  This isn't the London System!

love playing against it

To darek123 - What especially do you see weak about it?

man it's been stale in the forums lately.

Open the windows (95).

im gonig to open your moms windows ;)

They are open. She doesn't have an AC!

I would say that the most stale thing about the forums is irrelevant comments. Perhaps they could be greatly improved by the exalted wisdom of the 1700 players that would enlighten all of us poor ignorant souls!

The Urusov Gambit. Not considered worthwhile by GMs, but who plays GMs? Good practical chances to derail your opponent.  If your opponent plays Nc6 instead of grabbing the pawn, you just transposed into the Two Knights Defense.

3) Bc4 offers interesting positions for both sides depending on whether black decides to hold onto or return the gambit pawn after  Nxe4 and 4) Nc3.  Atleast it will add some excitement for those who might find the Petroff a bit dull.