Jump to content

Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Nc3

Edit links
From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Three Knights Game
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white knightd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 black kingc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/4P3/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKB1R b

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
ECO code: C46
Parent: King's Knight Opening

Three Knights Game

[edit | edit source]

Black can copy White's moves with 3...Nf6, leading to a very quiet game.

Other alternatives include bishop moves:

3...Bb4 is playable, but it may be too early because White can play 4. Nd5 (the knight is not pinned yet).
3...Bc5 is dangerous because White can play 4. Nxe5; after 4...Nxe5, White can play 5.d4, winning back the material with a fork. However, it's not really a mistake, because Black will be able to take a pawn during the process. In this line, 4...Bxf2+ is playable and does not lose material.

It's also possible to play 3...g6. It may prepare f5. It may also transpose into Scotch Game as the d4 counterattack is often seen.

Theory table

[edit | edit source]

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3

3 4 5
Four Knights Game ...
Nf6		 d4
exd4		 Nxd4
Bb4		 =
...
Bb4		 Nd5
Ba5		 Bc4 +/=
...
Bc5		 Nxe5
Nxe5		 d4
Bd6		 +/=
...
g6		 d4
exd4		 Nxd4
Bg7		 +/=
Winawer Defense ...
f5		 Bb5
fxe4		 Nxe4
Nf6		 +/=

When contributing to this Wikibook, please follow the Conventions for organization.

Wikipedia has related information at Three Knights Game

References

[edit | edit source]
  • Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Chess_Opening_Theory/1._e4/1...e5/2._Nf3/2...Nc6/3._Nc3&oldid=4286108"