ECO C42 · Petrov's Defense

Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

4… Nxe4+0.21

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation (C42), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… Nxe4 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.21).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.214… Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. dxc3 Qxe2+ 8. Bxe2 Bd7 9. Nf4
  2. +0.494… Nc6 5. Nc3 d5 6. exd5 Nd4 7. Ne2 Qe7 8. b4 Nxd5 9. Bb2
  3. +0.844… d5 5. e5 Nfd7 6. f4 Nc6 7. Be2 Nc5 8. Nf2 Ne6 9. d3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… Nxe4 for Black, continuing 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Nc3 Nxc3 7. dxc3 Qxe2+ 8. Bxe2 Bd7 9. Nf4. The position is roughly equal (+0.21). The next best moves are 4… Nc6 (+0.49) and 4… d5 (+0.84).
Is the Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.21: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Petrov's Defense: Karklins-Martinovsky Variation?
C42. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).