C42 Petroff Defence: 3.Nxe5 and unusual White 3rd moves (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.d3 d6 5.Bd2)

This opening is probably the rarest of all that I have faced during my chess games. Maybe less than 10 games have started like this. Probably it does not need adding but I am going to anyway, I do not know all that much from this Russian Game or Petroff Defense as it is also known. Once upon a time this opening was known for being drawish but at least in my games I think it has always lead to either me or my opponent losing the game.

[Event "Let's Play!"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2011.08.11"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "kodiakns"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1840"] [BlackElo "1911"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 {C42 Russian Game: Three Knights Game} Bb4 4. d3 d6 5. Bd2 {C42 Petroff Defence: 3.Nxe5 and unusual White 3rd moves} h6 {0.02/22} ( 5... Bxc3 $15 {-0.46/21} 6. Bxc3 Nc6) (5... O-O 6. Be2 {0-1 (60) Kane,P-Smith, E Ann Arbor 1991}) 6. Be2 {-0.58/19} (6. a3 $11 {0.02/22} Ba5 7. b4 (7. Be2 Be6 8. b4 Bb6 9. a4 a5 10. b5 Nbd7 11. h3 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. fxe3 e4 16. dxe4 Bxe4 17. Qd4 Nf6 18. c4 b6 19. O-O Qe7 20. Qe5 Qxe5 21. Nxe5 O-O {Tumolewska,K (1800)-Tarczykowska,M (1800) Poland 2006 0-1 (41)})) 6... O-O {0.04/22} (6... Ba5 $15 {-0.58/19}) 7. O-O {-0.73/19} (7. a3 $11 { 0.04/22} Ba5 8. O-O) 7... Bg4 $146 {0.22/22} (7... a5 $17 {-0.73/19}) (7... Be6 8. a3 Ba5 9. b4 Bb6 10. Na4 c6 11. Nxb6 Qxb6 12. c4 Nbd7 13. Qc1 Rfc8 14. Nh4 Qd8 15. f4 Ng4 16. f5 Qxh4 17. Bxg4 Qxg4 18. fxe6 Qxe6 19. Qe1 Rf8 20. Rf3 f5 21. Qe2 f4 22. Raf1 {Kane,P-Smith,E Ann Arbor 1991 0-1 (60)}) 8. a3 {-0.20/22} (8. h3 {0.22/22 feels stronger.} Bxf3 9. Bxf3) 8... Bxc3 {0.26/21} (8... Bc5 { -0.20/22 is more appropriate.}) 9. Bxc3 Nbd7 {0.59/18} ({Black should try} 9... Re8 $11 {-0.14/24}) 10. h3 {-0.05/21} ({Better is} 10. Nd2 $14 {0.59/18} Bxe2 11. Qxe2) 10... Bh5 {0.53/23} (10... Bxf3 $11 {-0.05/21} 11. Bxf3 Nc5) 11. Nh4 $2 {-1.50/22} (11. Re1 $14 {0.53/23}) 11... Bxe2 $2 {0.59/22} (11... Nxe4 $1 $17 {-1.50/22} 12. dxe4 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Qxh4) 12. Qxe2 $14 Nd5 $1 {[#] Threatens to win with ...Nf4.} 13. Nf5 $36 {White is more active.} Nxc3 14. bxc3 Qg5 { 0.84/21} (14... Qf6 $11 {0.07/22 remains equal.}) 15. Rab1 {0.27/23} (15. f4 $16 {0.84/21} exf4 16. Qd2) 15... b6 {0.91/20} (15... g6 $11 {0.27/23 keeps the balance.} 16. h4 Qd8) 16. d4 {-0.40/20} (16. f4 $16 {0.91/20} exf4 17. h4) 16... g6 $15 17. Ne3 {-0.68/22} (17. Ng3 $11 {-0.17/22}) 17... f5 $2 {1.77/19 [#]} (17... Nf6 $15 {-0.68/22 stays ahead.}) 18. exf5 {0.85/21} (18. Qc4+ $18 { 1.77/19 is more deadly.} Rf7 19. Qxc7) 18... gxf5 $16 19. Qc4+ Kh7 {2.17/21} ( 19... Rf7 $16 {0.95/22}) 20. Qxc7 $18 Rf7 {With the idea ...f4.} 21. Qxd6 Rg8 22. f4 Qg3 23. Rf3 $4 {-7.45/20} (23. Rbe1 $18 {3.03/23}) 23... Qxf3 $1 { Accuracy: White = 12%, Black = 11%.} 0-1