Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4/3...Nf6

Two Knights Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
ECO code: C55–C59
Parent: 3. Bc4

3... Nf6 – Two Knights Defence

The Black Knight move 3... Nf6 announces the Two Knights; this aggressive defence results in open and often complex play. David Bronstein suggested that the term "Chigorin's Counterattack" would be more appropriate and this is certainly borne out with current theory. The Two Knights has been adopted as Black by many aggressive players including Chigorin and Keres, and World Champions Tal and Boris Spassky.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

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

		4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Traxler Counterattack or Wilkes-Barre Variation	1	Ng5 Bc5!?	Bxf7+ Ke7	Bd5 Rf8	O-O d6	c3 Bg4	Qb3 Bb6	Bxc6 bxc6	h3 h6	+/=
Lolli Variation	2	... d5	exd5 Nxd5!?	d4 Bb4+	c3 Be7	Nxf7 Kxf7	Qf3+ Ke6	Qe4 Rf8	f4 b5	+/=
Fried Liver Attack	3	... ...	... ...	Nxf7!? Kxf7	Qf3+ Ke6	Nc3 Ncb4	a3 Nxc2+	Kd1 Nxa1	Nxd5 Kd7	+/=
Morphy Variation	4	... ...	... Na5	d3 h6	Nf3 e4	Qe2 Nxc4	dxc4 Bc5	Nfd2 O-O	Nb3 Bg4	=
Main Line Ng5	5	... ...	... ...	Bb5+ c6	dxc6 bxc6	Be2 h6	Nf3 e4	Ne5 Bc5	Ne5 Bc5	∞
Steinitz Variation	6	... ...	... ...	... ...	... ...	... ...	Nh3 Bd6	d3 O-O	Nc3 Nd5	∞
Bogoljubow Variation	7	... ...	... ...	... ...	... ...	Qf3 Rb8	Bd3 h6	Ne4 Nd5	b3 g6	∞
Ulvestad Variation	8	... ...	... b5	Bf1 h6	Nf3 Qxd5	Nc3 Qe6	Bxb5 Bb7	Qe2 O-O-O	- -	∞
Fritz Variation	9	... ...	... Nd4	c3 b5	Bf1 Nxd5	Ne4 Qh4	Ng3 Bg4	f3 e4	cxd4 Bd6	∞
Classical Variation	10	d4 exd4	O-O Nxe4	Re1 d5	Bxd5 Qxd5	Nc3 Qh5	Nxe4 Be6	Bg5 Bd6	- -	=
Max Lange Attack	11	... ...	... Bc5	e5 d5	exf6 dxc4	Re1+ Be6	Ng5 Qd5	Nc3 Qf5	- -	+-
Max Lange Attack, Spielmann Variation	11	... ...	... ...	... Ng4	h3 Ngxe5	Nxe5 Nxe5	Re1 d6	f4 0-0	fxe5 dxe5	=
Modern Variation	12	... ...	e5 d5	Bb5 Ne4	Nxd4 Bc5	Be3 Bd7	Bxc6 bxc6	O-O Bb6	- -	=
	13	... ...	... Ne4	Qe2 Nc5	O-O Ne6	Rd1 d5	Bb5 Bc5	c3 O-O	- -	=
	14	... ...	... Ng4	O-O d6	exd6 Bxd6	Re1+ Be7	h3 Nf6	Nbd2 O-O	- -	=
Giuoco Piano by transposition	15	d3 Bc5	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -	- -
	16	... d5!?	exd5 Nxd5	O-O Bc5	Re1 O-O	Nxe5 Qh4	Nf3 Qxf2+	Kh1 Nf6	- -	+/=
	17	... Be7	Bb3 O-O	O-O d6	c3 Na5	Bc2 c5	Nbd2 Nc6	Re1 Re8	- -	=
Italian Four Knights Game by transposition	18	Nc3 Nxe4	O-O Nxc3	dxc3 Be7	Qd5 O-O	Nxe5 Nxe5	Qxe5 Bf6	Qh5 c6	- -	=
	19	O-O Nxe4	Nc3 ...	... f6	Nh4 g6	f4 Qe7	Kh1 d6	... ...	- -	=+

Statistics

Estimated next move popularity

d3 47%, Ng5 24%, d4 15%, Nc3 10%, O-O 2%, Qe2 1%

References

• The Two Knights Defence (1983) Yakov Estrin. ISBN 0-7134-3991-2.
• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.

• Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.