Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation
Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C49, part of the Four Knights Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 11 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is 3 points ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
4. Bb5 – White plays the bishop to b5
4... Bb4 – Black plays the bishop to b4
5. O-O – White castles kingside
5... O-O – Black castles kingside
6. Bxc6 – White takes on c6 with the bishop
About the Four Knights Game
Both sides bring out both knights: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6. It is a classical, healthy opening that follows the basic rules.
White chooses 4.Bb5 (Spanish), 4.d4 (Scotch) or 4.Bc4 (Italian) style.
Black can answer 4.Bb5 with ...Bb4 (copying) or the sharp ...Nd4.
Watch the pin Bg5 on the f6 knight in symmetrical lines.
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