Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C43), reached after 6 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 d5.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C43. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 6 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 d5.

It belongs to the Petrov's Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Modern Attack → Symmetrical Variation line). The immediate parent line is Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, transitioned via 3…d5.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nf6, 3.d4 d5. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.