Four Knights Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6
4. d4+0.13
The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.
Analyze this positionIn the Four Knights Game (C47), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. d4 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.13).
Top engine moves
- +0.134. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 O-O
- +0.034. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 6. e5 dxc3 7. exf6 Qxf6 8. dxc3 Qe5+
- −0.034. h3 Bb4 5. Bb5 O-O 6. O-O Bxc3 7. bxc3 Nxe4 8. Bxc6 dxc6
All Four Knights Game variations (39)
- Glek SystemC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3
- Gunsberg VariationC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. a3
- Halloween GambitC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5
- Italian VariationC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3
- Naroditsky VariationC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nd5
- Scotch VariationC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4
- Scotch Variation AcceptedC471. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4
- Spanish VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5
- Bardeleben VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bc5 5. O-O O-O 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. d4 Bd6 8. f4 Nc6 9. e5 Bb4
- Classical VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bc5
- Ranken VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 a6 5. Bxc6
- Rubinstein VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4
- Henneberger VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. O-O
- Marshall GambitC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 O-O
- Marshall VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxe5 Bc5 6. O-O O-O
- Maróczy VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Be2 Nxf3+ 6. Bxf3 Bc5 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 d6 9. Na4 Bb6
- Rubinstein Variation AcceptedC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxd4
- Spielmann VariationC481. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 a6 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nxe5 Nxe4 7. Nxe4 Qd4 8. O-O Qxe5 9. Re1 Be6 10. d4 Qd5
- Alatortsev VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Qe7 7. Ne2 d5
- Double SpanishC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4
- Gunsberg CounterattackC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Nd5 Nxd5 7. exd5 e4
- Janowski VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8. Re1
- Nimzowitsch VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6
- Svenonius VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d5
- Symmetrical VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6
- Blake VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Ne7 8. Nh4 c6 9. Bc4 d5 10. Bb3 Qd6
- Metger UnpinC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Qe7
- Tarrasch VariationC491. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Be6
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move in the Four Knights Game?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. d4 for White, continuing exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 O-O. The position is roughly equal (+0.13). The next best moves are 4. Bb5 (+0.03) and 4. h3 (−0.03).
Is the Four Knights Game a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.13: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Four Knights Game?
C47. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.
Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).