Alexander Petrov

February 13, 1799 (age 68)

Pskov, Pskov Oblast, Russia

From 1804, he lived in Saint St. Petersburg. Foreign over half a century Petrov was considered Russia"s strongest player. He is an author of the first chess handbook in Russian (Shakhmatnaya igra (), Street St. Petersburg 1824). He also analysed with Carl Friedrich von Jänisch the opening that later became known as the Petrov"s Defense or Russian Game (C42). From 1840 he lived in Warsaw (then Russian Empire), where successfully played against top Warsaw chess masters: Alexander Hoffman, Piotrowski, Szymański, Siewieluński, Hieronim Czarnowski, Szymon Winawer, et cetera During the January Uprising (1863–1864), he left Warsaw for Vienna and Paris. Among others, he played a match with Paul Journoud at Paris 1863. Petrov died in 1867, and was buried in the Orthodox Cemetery in Warsaw. His most well-known problem is "The Retreat of Napoleon I from Moscow" (Street St. Petersburg 1824). Alexander Hoffman vs Alexander Petrov, Warsaw m 1844, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Center Attack (C53), 0-1 Petrov"s Immortal Alexander Petrov vs Carl Friedrich von Jaenisch, Street St. Petersburg 1844, Russian Game, Modern Attack, Center Variation (C43), 1-0 Alexander Petrov vs Prince Dmitri Semenovich Urusov, Paris 1852, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Albin Gambit (C53), 1-0 Alexander Petrov vs Prince Sergey Semenovich Urusov, Street St. Petersburg 1853, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Albin Gambit (C53), 1-0 Alexander Petrov vs Szymański, Warsaw 1853, French Defense, Exchange, Monte Carlo Variation (C01), 1-0.

Alexander Petrov Edit Profile

Background

Petrov was born into a noble family and is usually remembered as the first great Russian chess master.

Career

From 1804, he lived in Saint St. Petersburg. Foreign over half a century Petrov was considered Russia"s strongest player. He is an author of the first chess handbook in Russian (Shakhmatnaya igra (), Street St. Petersburg 1824).

He also analysed with Carl Friedrich von Jänisch the opening that later became known as the Petrov"s Defense or Russian Game (C42).

From 1840 he lived in Warsaw (then Russian Empire), where successfully played against top Warsaw chess masters: Alexander Hoffman, Piotrowski, Szymański, Siewieluński, Hieronim Czarnowski, Szymon Winawer, et cetera During the January Uprising (1863–1864), he left Warsaw for Vienna and Paris.

Among others, he played a match with Paul Journoud at Paris 1863. Petrov died in 1867, and was buried in the Orthodox Cemetery in Warsaw.

His most well-known problem is "The Retreat of Napoleon I from Moscow" (Street St. Petersburg 1824).

Alexander Hoffman vs Alexander Petrov, Warsaw m 1844, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Center Attack (C53), 0-1 Petrov"s Immortal

Alexander Petrov vs Carl Friedrich von Jaenisch, Street St. Petersburg 1844, Russian Game, Modern Attack, Center Variation (C43), 1-0

Alexander Petrov vs Prince Dmitri Semenovich Urusov, Paris 1852, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Albin Gambit (C53), 1-0

Alexander Petrov vs Prince Sergey Semenovich Urusov, Street St. Petersburg 1853, Italian Game, Classical Variation, Albin Gambit (C53), 1-0

Alexander Petrov vs Szymański, Warsaw 1853, French Defense, Exchange, Monte Carlo Variation (C01), 1-0.

Achievements

In 1809, he defeated Kopev and Baranov, St. Petersburg’s leading chess players, and became Russian best player at the age of 15. Petrov won matches against D.A. Baranov (4: 2) in 1809, Carl Jaenisch (2: 1) at Street St. Petersburg 1844. Prince Sergey Semenovich Urusov (3: 1) at Street St. Petersburg 1853 and (13,5: 7,5) at Warsaw 1859. And Ilya Shumov (4: 2) at Street St. Petersburg 1862.

Main Photo