Theoria
8765432abcdefgh1

Petrov's Defense

Karklins-Martinovsky Variation

C42offbeatpositional

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Nf3Nf6
  3. 3.Nxe5d6
  4. 4.Nd3
1,172 games46%47%

A Petrov's Defense sideline in which White retreats the knight with 4. Nd3 instead of 4. Nf3, planning Nf4 and d4; an occasional, low-key alternative.

Train it in Theoria

About the Karklins-Martinovsky Variation

The Karklins-Martinovsky Variation retreats the attacked knight with 4. Nd3 rather than the standard 4. Nf3. On d3 the knight briefly obstructs the d-pawn, but it later reroutes to f4 so that d4 can follow. Black almost always regains the pawn with 4...Nxe4. One known line, 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Nf4 Nf6 7. d4 Qxe2+ 8. Bxe2 Nc6, trades queens early. The variation is an occasional sideline. Magnus Carlsen chose it against Fabiano Caruana in the 2018 World Championship.

Popular continuations