Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Anand Trapped in the Petrov

The Petrov Defense, also known as Russian Defense, is an opening with a reputation of being calm. Top level players use it when conducting Black pieces if they unambitiously look for a draw. Nevertheless, the American GM Fabiano Caruana has in recent years played it with Black with great success. Because of that, Caruana is now considered an expert in this opening. Today’s trap appears in the so-called Nimzovitsch attack of this opening.

Dear readers, do not believe that only beginners have been caught in this trap. Even GM Visvanathan Anand once was a victim of it. He was playing in the Biel tournament in 1988. Anand was then 19 years old. At that time, his rating was 2555.