After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 both sides have developed their knights. You learn the Scotch Four Knights with 4.d4 and the Spanish Four Knights with 4.Bb5 against the Symmetrical, the Rubinstein and 4...Bc5. You also learn the fork trick against 3...Bc5 and how to meet 3...Bb4. This is a intermediate opening course for White (ECO C46-C49) with 6 variations and 2 traps, written for players rated around 1200. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of Four Knights Game
Develop with a purpose. Every move brings a piece out or fights for the centre.
In the Scotch Four Knights, trade on c6 and play the bishop to d3. Black's pawns on the c-file become targets.
In the Spanish Four Knights, castle early and pin with the bishop to g5. The f6 knight is often a key defender.
When a black bishop on c5 and a knight on e5 stand loose, the d-pawn can fork them. This is the fork trick.
Win the two bishops when you can. In open positions they are stronger than a bishop and a knight.
Variations you learn
4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4: Scotch Four Knights – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 …. White opens the centre with 4.d4. After 5...Bb4 White trades on c6, puts the bishop on d3 and castles. The pin with the bishop to g5 and the queen on f3 put pressure on the f6 knight.
4.Bb5 Bb4: the Symmetrical Variation – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O …. Black copies White with 4...Bb4. Both sides castle and play d3 and d6. White pins the f6 knight with Bg5 and gets the two bishops after Black's trade on c3. Then White builds a centre with d4.
4.Bb5 Nd4: the Rubinstein Variation – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 …. Black answers 4.Bb5 with the active 4...Nd4. The simple 5.Nxd4 leads to a calm game. After the pawn trades White plays dxc3, and the queens come off into a balanced endgame.
4.Bb5 Bc5 5.Nxe5: the fork trick – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bc5 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 …. Black answers 4.Bb5 with 4...Bc5. White takes on e5 at once and forks the bishop and the knight with 6.d4. Black gets the piece back, but White has the two bishops.
3...Bc5 4.Nxe5: the fork trick – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Bd6 …. Black skips 3...Nf6 and plays 3...Bc5. White uses the fork trick at once. After 4.Nxe5 and 5.d4 White gets the piece back and the two bishops. Black must answer the fork with 5...Bd6.
3...Bb4 4.Nd5: the jump to d5 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nd5 Nf6 5. Nxb4 Nxb4 …. Black develops the bishop with 3...Bb4. White jumps to d5, wins the two bishops and strikes in the centre with d4. After the queen trade White has the bishops, and Black's king cannot castle.
Traps
5...Bb4? 6.dxe5: the fork trick wins a knight – After 3...Bc5 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 the pawn forks the bishop and the knight. Black must protect the knight with 5...Bd6. If the bishop runs to b4, White takes the e5 knight and stays a piece up.
4...d5? 5.Nxe5: the pinned knight – In the Spanish Four Knights the bishop on b5 eyes the c6 knight. If Black opens the centre with 4...d5, the knight gets pinned, and White takes on e5 at once. White wins a pawn and keeps a strong knight.
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