8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

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

Shown from White's side. ECO C47.

Opening guide · an opening for White

Four Knights Game

The Four Knights Game starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6. Both sides bring out both knights before anything else, following the classic advice to develop knights before bishops. The position is balanced and solid, which makes it a safe choice for players who want a sound game without much theory.

Games in our sample
48,138
White wins
48.9%
Draws
5.0%
Black wins
46.0%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Four Knights Game scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10007,3893.3%50.5%5.0%44.4%
1000 to 11998,8482.8%48.5%4.6%46.9%
1200 to 13999,6442.1%50.0%4.0%46.0%
1400 to 15998,9281.5%48.5%4.2%47.2%
1600 to 17996,6271.0%48.1%4.8%47.1%
1800 to 19993,8960.8%47.9%5.6%46.5%
2000 to 21991,7050.7%48.4%6.7%44.9%
2200 and over1,1011.0%45.4%21.4%33.2%
All ratings48,1381.5%48.9%5.0%46.0%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Four Knights Game that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Italian Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3

    19,889 games · White 49.0% · draws 4.2% · Black 46.7%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Scotch Variation Accepted

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4

    5,699 games · White 49.7% · draws 5.0% · Black 45.3%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Spanish Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5

    3,415 games · White 48.2% · draws 5.3% · Black 46.5%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Spanish Variation, Classical Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bc5

    3,062 games · White 49.6% · draws 3.5% · Black 46.9%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Scotch Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4

    2,440 games · White 55.5% · draws 5.2% · Black 39.2%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Spanish Variation, Double Spanish

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4

    1,543 games · White 50.2% · draws 6.2% · Black 43.6%

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Ideas for White

  • 4. Bb5, the Spanish Four Knights, and 4. d4, the Scotch Four Knights, are the main ways to continue.

Ideas for Black

  • Copying White works for a few moves but not for ever.
  • Against 4. Bb5 the usual replies are 4...Bb4 and 4...Nd4.

Questions

What are the moves of the Four Knights Game?
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6. In the ECO classification it is filed under C47.
How does the Four Knights Game score?
In 48,138 games with it in our sample, White won 48.9%, 5.0% were drawn and Black won 46.0%.
At which ratings is the Four Knights Game played most?
Among players rated under 1000 it is 3.3% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.7%, is among players rated 2000 to 2199.
Which line of the Four Knights Game is played most?
Four Knights Game: Italian Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3), with 19,889 games in our sample.

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