Italian four knights game

This position might seem familiar to you: this is because we are in front of a Four Knights variation of the Scotch Opening, which is commonly reached in the following move order:. This position has chances for both sides: Black has the control of the centre, even though his Hanging Pawns could become a weakness in the endgame.

White as a lot of activity on the Kingside, and open and semi-open files will be explored. This position is likely to result in a very active and dynamic game, since a lot imbalances are present, which makes this a very exciting game.

This move is known as the Italian Four Knights Game. However, it is considered to be slightly inferior for White when compared to the Italian main lines, since the c3-Knight stops the possible c2-c3 plan of controlling the centre. Besides this, this move order gives Black some more options that were not present in a normal italian.

This position can be reached from the Italian, with the addition of the c5-Bishop , in the following move order:. Even though the move 4. Nc3 is not very common in this position, since White usually prefers to continue with 4. Black is able to capture on e4, since he then recaptures the piece with:. Black is left with an extra central pawn , however, the d6-Bishop is not very active. This position is considered to be equal.

White is not worst, but he also does not have as much initiative as he would have in a normal Italian Opening. Because of this, the Four Knights Game would probably not be a very good option for frequent Italian players. However, if you want to avoid theory and overanalyzed lines , this could be a good choice for you. This fianchetto will lead to a Bishop in a blocked diagona l, not very active. Because of this, this move is not as ambitious as many of the ones seen before, and usually leads to an equalized game.

This position has some interesting imbalances that both sides could try to take advantage of. Black has more space , due to his e5-pawn being more advanced. However, White could try to break the centre and eliminate that advantage. White benefits from a fianchettoed Bishop in an open diagonal, though his pawn structure is weaker.

Some possible plans are:. This move naturally develops a piece to an important diagonal, where it can control the important d4-square and put pressure in f2. This position does not have as many imbalances and activity as some of the ones we have seen before.

However, it is still possible to draw some plans:. This move is considered to be quite passive and not very ambitious: the e2-Bishop is not a very active piece, and the purpose of this move is to safely castle. Be2 is not very frequently played, especially among top-rated players. However, it is still worth analysing. Both the moves 4… d5 and 4… Bb4 allow Black to at least fully equalize.

White needs to respond precisely. Capturing the e4-pawn could be dangerous due to 7. This positions are usually equal or even slightly better for Black, which is why 4. Be2 is not widely played.

This is a rather common waiting mov e, which oblies Black to define the position so the White can choose how to play. Besides this, this move also stops the possible … Bb4 move, which is sometime very dangerous. In this position, if White eventually plays d2-d4 or d2-d3, Black will now have the possibility to pin the c3-Knight with Bb4. In this position Black has more control of the centre , due to the advanced d5-pawn.

The e4-Knight is also very well located. The development is more os less the same and the pawn islands are symmetrical. This is not a good move for White, however, it is important to know how to play against it, in case you have to face it on the chess board. Black should now be able to normally develop his pieces. White does not have enough counterplay for the lost material. Because of this, always make sure to study possible gambits and dubious lines, even if you know they are refuted: finding that refutation under pressure on the chess board is not always easy.

Congratulations on reaching the end of this article! Hopefully you have now decided if this opening is a good choice for you, either when playing with White or Black pieces, and you have chosen a variation which fits your playing style. The truth is, in this Opening, there is a lot to choose from.

This is why it is now easy to define the opening and generalize its plans. If this will be a solid, quiet game, or an aggressive, dynamic one, depends a lot on the variation you choose to play.

If White manages to successfully transpose to a main line of other Opening, then logically the dynamics of the game will be the same of that same opening. For example, if White manages to transpose to a main line of the Ruy Lopez, the game will most likely be very dynamic, with lots of chances for both sides.

However, if White plays a more passive move, such as 4. Be2 or 4. The reason why it is so hard to define the spirit of the Four Knights Game is because it is usually not an opening, just a different move order that can be used in a lot of different openings. Because of this, the Four Knights Game is not for a specific kind of players: from the quieter to the most aggressive players in the world, everyone should be able to find a variation which fits their taste.

This versatility and infinite possibilities are what makes this move order so interesting. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content Welcome to another chess opening article! How does the Four Knights Game happen on the chess board?

Black has a space advantage for the time being, but white has a more compact pawn structure, easy piece development, and no real weaknesses. The position is roughly equal. White develops the light-squared bishop actively, completing his kingside development.

Black can do the same with 4…Bb4. For example, after 5. Instead both players will generally focus on rapid development. To prevent this, black will usually break the symmetry here and play 7…Bxc3.

Maintaining the symmetry with 7…Bg4 can be dangerous for black after 8. Nd5 Nd4. White has won some fast games in this line if black is not careful — see the video above for examples! White can preempt this with 9. The pawn structure would become symmetrical once more, and the game is equal. Besides 4. Bb5, white has some alternative options in the Four Knights Game, but most of them are not well-regarded. For example:. The Four Knights Game is an easy-to-learn, fundamentally sound opening that can be played at any level of chess.

Both players will develop rapidly and castle early in almost all variations, and the struggle will begin from there! Thanks for reading! The database can be searched via many criteria, including chess players, chess opening, player ratings, game result, and the year the chess game was played. Chess opening statistics can been viewed on the display to the right of the board.

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