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C47-C50

Four Knights Game

49 named lines in this family, ECO C47-C50. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3

Main lineC47

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

All four knights before the bishops: classical, symmetric development where small move-order choices steer toward quiet equality or a Spanish-style squeeze.

Glek System, through 4. g3C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3

Gunsberg VariationC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. a3

Halloween GambitC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5

The structure hands Black the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Italian Variation, after 3... Nf6C47

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

Naroditsky VariationC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nd5

In the centre, White holds e4 while Black holds e5.

Scotch VariationC47

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

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Scotch Variation AcceptedC47

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

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Gunsberg Variation, Provincial OpeningC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. a3 d6 5. h3

Italian Variation, Noa GambitC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Bxf7+

An early pawn trade leaves the e-file as White's avenue and the f-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Scotch Variation, Belgrade GambitC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nd5

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

Scotch Variation, Krause GambitC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. Nxe5

White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it. White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit, Leonhardt DefenseC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. Nxe5 Qe7

Scotch Variation, Oxford GambitC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. d5 Nd4

Scotch Variation, Schmid DefenseC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nxe4

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Scotch Variation, Belgrade Gambit, Modern DefenseC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nd5 Nxe4 6. Qe2 f5

Glek System, after 4... d5C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nxc3 7. bxc3

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Halloween Gambit, Oldtimer VariationC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bb4 8. Qf3 f5

Scotch Variation Accepted, Main LineC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 O-O 9. O-O

The e-file is fully open.

Halloween Gambit, Plasma VariationC47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Nc6 6. d5 Ne5 7. f4 Ng6 8. e5 Ng8 9. d6 cxd6 10. exd6 Qf6 11. Nb5 Rb8

The structure hands Black the half-open c-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Spanish Variation, through 4. Bb5C48

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

Spanish Variation, Classical VariationC48

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

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, after 2... Nc6, through 4... Nd4C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4

Black's pawn on d7 is pinned against the king.

Spanish Variation, Ranken VariationC48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 a6 5. Bxc6

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, after 2... Nc6, through 5. Be2C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Be2

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation AcceptedC48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxd4

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger VariationC48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. O-O

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, after 2... Nf6, through 6. f4C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxe5 Qe7 6. f4

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Marshall GambitC48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 O-O

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Marshall VariationC48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxe5 Bc5 6. O-O O-O

Spanish Variation, Bardeleben VariationC48

1. 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

Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Maróczy VariationC48

1. 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

White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.

Spanish Variation, Spielmann VariationC48

1. 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

The structure hands Black the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Spanish Variation, Double Spanish, through 4... Bb4C49

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

Spanish Variation, Double Spanish, after 5. O-OC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3

Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch VariationC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6

Spanish Variation, after 4... Bb4C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, through 6... d6C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, after 7. Ne2, through 7. Ne2C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Ne2

Spanish Variation, Alatortsev VariationC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Qe7 7. Ne2 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Spanish Variation, Gunsberg CounterattackC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Nd5 Nxd5 7. exd5 e4

The structure hands White the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Spanish Variation, Svenonius VariationC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d5

The structure hands White the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, after 7. Bg5, through 7... Ne7C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Ne7

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch VariationC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Be6

Spanish Variation, Janowski VariationC49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8. Re1

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Metger UnpinC49

1. 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

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, after 7. Bg5, through 10... Bg4C49

1. 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 9. Re1 Nd8 10. d4 Bg4

Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Blake VariationC49

1. 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

Italian Variation, after 3... Bc5C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6

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