ECO C42 · Petrov's Defense

Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3

abcdefgh87654321
Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

5… d5+0.31

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack (C42), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3, Stockfish 18 recommends 5… d5 for Black. White is slightly better (+0.31).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.315… d5 6. Qe2 f5 7. c4 Bc5 8. O-O O-O 9. cxd5 Re8 10. Bb5
  2. +0.345… Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. Bf1 d5 9. d4 Nc6 10. Bf4
  3. +0.405… Ng5 6. Nxg5 Qxg5 7. O-O d5 8. c4 d4 9. Be4 Qf6 10. d3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 5… d5 for Black, continuing 6. Qe2 f5 7. c4 Bc5 8. O-O O-O 9. cxd5 Re8 10. Bb5. White is slightly better (+0.31). The next best moves are 5… Nf6 (+0.34) and 5… Ng5 (+0.40).
Is the Petrov's Defense: Millennium Attack a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.31: white is slightly better. 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: Millennium Attack?
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+).