for White · beginner

Four Knights Game

6/6
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Nc3Nf6

All four knights develop symmetrically. The positions are sound and principled. The opening is straightforward to learn, carries minimal forced theory, and leads naturally to playable middlegames with good piece placement.

Key ideas
  • Develop naturally and castle before committing to any plan
  • Use the Scotch Four Knights (d4) to open the centre
  • In the Spanish Four Knights, pin with Bb5 to pressure c6
  • Rely on solid structure to outplay opponents in the middlegame
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Four Knights Game17.1M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
Italian Variation33%5.6M49%
Scotch Variation26%4.4M55%
Spanish Variation23%4.0M53%
7.3%1.2M48%
Halloween Gambit3.6%607k55%
Gunsberg Variation2.5%425k52%
2.1%364k52%
1.5%254k51%
Glek System1%164k51%
0.4%61k46%
Famous games in this line17k master games
Carlsen, Magnus (2863) – Caruana, Fabiano (2835)2020½–½Nakamura, Hi (2789) – Carlsen, M. (2872)20140–1Nakamura, Hi (2816) – Carlsen, M. (2839)2025½–½Carlsen, M. (2839) – Ding Liren (2804)2018½–½Carlsen, M. (2837) – Nakamura, Hi (2804)2025½–½So, Wesley (2765) – Carlsen, Magnus (2872)2020½–½Carlsen, M.. (2847) – Aronian, L.. (2781)2021½–½Kramnik, Vladimir (2801) – Aronian, Levon (2825)2012½–½
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Four Knights Game: Glek System4.g3Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit4.Nxe5 · 2 deeper linesFour Knights Game: Scotch Variation4.d4 · 8 deeper linesFour Knights Game: Spanish Variation4.Bb5 · 17 deeper lines
Nearby lines in the family
Four Knights Game: Italian Variation3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3Four Knights Game: Italian Variation, Noa Gambit3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger Variation2…Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.O-O
Study this opening
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