The Petroff Defence or Russian Game.
1 P-K4
P-K4
2 Kt-KB3
Kt-KB3
Black replies to the attack on his KP by counter-attacking the White KP.
3 KtxP
P-Q3
It would not be advisable to answer with 3 ... KtxP immediately, viz.:
4 Q-K2
Q-K2;
5 QxKt
P-Q3;
6 P-Q4
P-KB3;
7 Kt-QB3 with an obvious advantage.
4 Kt-KB3
KtxP
5 P-Q4
P-Q4
Now White wants to drive off the Black KX. Black will fight to maintain it in its position.
6 B-Q3
Kt-QB3
Rather faulty would be 6 ... B-Q3;
7 O-O
B-KKt5;
8 P-B4
O-O;
9 Kt-B3, and White has the superiority in the centre.
7 O-O ...
To bring the King into safety before the centre by exchange of Pawns is opened to the officers.
7 ... B-K2
8 QKt-Q2
The Knight avoids B3 so as to keep the QBP mobile.
8 ... P-B4
9 P-B4
9 ... B-K3
If 9 ... Kt-Kt5, White retreats to B-X1.
10 PxP
BxP
11 R-K1 ...
White has attained his object of driving off Black's Knight on K5. But White may also continue:
10 R-K1
PxP
11 KtxKt
PxB
12 Kt-B5
B-Q4
13 B-Kt5
with attack.
Again
9 ... KtxKt
10 BxKt
O-O
11 Q-Kt3
and White has the best of it.
All in all, the early advance of the KBP does not seem advisable.
8 ... B-KB4
9 R-K1
KtxKt
10 QxKt ...
Black may here play 10 ... BxB or 10 ... B-Kt5. White has retained the advantage of the first move, no more: As an instance 10 ... BxB;
11 QxB
O-O;
12 B-Q2
B-B3;
13 Kt-K5. Or else 10 ... B-Kt3;
11 Kt-K5; or 10 ... B-Kt5;
11 Kt-K5. Inadvisable seems 10 ... Q-Q2 because of
11 B-Kt5.
Returning again to the main variation, let Black retreat his advanced post.
8 ... Kt-B3
9 P-B3
O-O
10 Kt-K5 ...
And now White will fortify his advanced Knight or force Black to exchange it and will then be able to recapture with QP and to assail the adverse King by a mass of Pawns. White has the initiative. White may also follow another plan. 3 KtxP
P-Q3;
4 Kt-KB3
KtxP;
5 Q-K2
Q-K2;
6 P-Q3
Kt-KB3;
7 B-Kt5
QxQch. (or B-K3, or QX-Q2];
8 BxQ
Kt-Q4. A very complicated Ending will ensue, where the minor pieces predominate.
A principal variation, where White tries for too much.
5 P-Q4
P-Q4
6 B-Q3
Kt-QB3
7 O-O
B-K2
8 R-K1
B-KKt5
Black can reply by counter-attack. If 9 BxKt
PxB;
10 RxP
BxKt;
White cannot reply
11 PxB on account of
11 ... P-B4; [!
12 R-B4?
O-O;
13 P-Q5
B-Kt4 and regains at least his P).
9 P-B3
P-B4
10 P-B4
B-R5
Black obtains counterattack, since White has made too many Pawn moves.
11 BxKt
QPxB
12 P-Q5
O-O
with advantage