King's Knight Opening

King's Knight Opening is a chess opening with the ECO code C40. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 3 moves it is Black to move. 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

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 2... Nf6, 2... Nc6, 2... f5, 2... d6.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the King's Knight Opening course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: King's Pawn Game (1. e4 e5)
• Continues with: Elephant Gambit – adds 2... d5
• Continues with: Gunderam Defense – adds 2... Qe7
• Continues with: King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit – adds 2... Bc5
• Continues with: King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense – adds 2... f6
• Continues with: King's Pawn Game: Gunderam Gambit – adds 2... c6
• Continues with: King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense – adds 2... Qf6
• Continues with: Latvian Gambit – adds 2... f5
• Continues with: Philidor Defense – adds 2... d6
• Related line: King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3)
• Related line: King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6)

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