Four Knights Game

Four Knights Game
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8
a8 black rook
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
d7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
c6 black knight
f6 black knight
e5 black pawn
e4 white pawn
c3 white knight
f3 white knight
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
d2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
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Moves1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6
ECOC47–C49
Named afterKnights on c3, c6, f3, f6
ParentThree Knights Game

The Four Knights Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Nc3 Nf6

This is the most common sequence, but the knights may develop in any order to reach the same position.

The opening is fairly popular with beginners who strictly adhere to the opening principle: "Develop knights before bishops." It was one of the workhorses in the family of the Open Game, at even the highest levels, until World War I. Thereafter it fell by the wayside, along with a number of other Open Games. In this period ambitious players explored the Ruy Lopez, believing it a better attempt by White to exploit the advantage of the first move. In the 1990s, this opening saw a renaissance, and is now seen in the praxis of players from beginner to grandmaster.

The Four Knights usually leads to quiet positional play, though there are some sharp variations. The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has three codes for the Four Knights Game:

  • C49: 4.Bb5 Bb4 (Symmetrical Variation)
  • C48: 4.Bb5 without 4...Bb4
  • C47: 4.d4 and others