Chess Openings → Four Knights Game

Four Knights Game: a symmetrical plan for 1.e4 e5

The Four Knights Game starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 — instead of committing the bishop early, both sides first finish developing both knights, and only then does the bishop go to b5, just like in the Ruy Lopez. It's a safe, theoretically undemanding way to play the open game: since both sides develop almost identically, there are hardly any memorized traps here.

In short: after 4.Bb5 the most common reply is 4...Bb4, Black pinning your knight on c3 in mirror fashion. You then play 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 — the position is fully symmetrical and roughly equal, and the follow-up plan is Rc1 and calm development, waiting for an opponent's mistake. Black's other replies each have their own plan below. You can practice the full repertoire in the opening trainer, free and without an account.

Starting position and the idea

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6, both sides have finished developing their knights before either side has made any decision about the bishop — hence the opening's name. Only now does 4.Bb5 pin the knight on c6 to Black's king, exactly as in the Ruy Lopez. Thanks to this move order, knowing the general principles — development, castling, fighting for the center — is enough to handle this position well, without memorizing long, learned variations.

Black's three most common replies

• 4...Bb4 (mirror pin) — Black pins your knight on c3 the same way you pinned their knight on c6. After 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 the position is fully symmetrical and equal; next: Rc1, calm development, and waiting for an opponent's mistake.
• 4...Bc5 (active development, as in the Italian Game) — Black gives up the pin and places the bishop on the diagonal aiming at f2. After 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 the game is fought over the initiative on the kingside after both sides castle; the plan is Nd5 or a3.
• 4...d6 (the modest reply) — Black doesn't actively fight for the center, so you strike with 5.d4. After 5...exd4 6.Nxd4 you regain the pawn and have an active knight in the center — next, finish developing and play on the space advantage.

Honestly, about this page's scope

The above is a sketch of the plan, not a full trainer with every branch and typical opponent mistakes. The full Four Knights Game repertoire — including the 4...d6 5.d4 Bd7 line and an exact evaluation of every line verified by the Stockfish engine — is waiting in the opening trainer inside the app. Before playing your first opening, it's also worth knowing the 5 rules that win most games — the Four Knights Game is just one way of putting those rules into practice.

More openings (including the Sicilian Defense, French Defense, and Queen's Gambit) are covered on the Chess Openings page. Want to practice these same principles right away against an opponent? Play a game against the computer at any difficulty level.

The trainer works offline after your first online visit on this device. No app installation required.