Scribd
Upload
148 views3 pages

The Two Knights Defense - Playing 1.E4 - E5 2.Nf3 Opening Variations

The document discusses the Two Knights Defense opening in chess that begins with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6. It aims to explore less theoretically dense moves than aggressive lines like the Fried Liver Attack. The summary covers white playing the Italian Game by moving their bishop to c4 on the third move. It then provides an example continuation of the moves with brief commentary on white setting up their center and black castling before future articles will explore more theoretical lines of the opening.

Uploaded by

Von Greggy Moloboco II
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
148 views3 pages

The Two Knights Defense - Playing 1.E4 - E5 2.Nf3 Opening Variations

The document discusses the Two Knights Defense opening in chess that begins with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6. It aims to explore less theoretically dense moves than aggressive lines like the Fried Liver Attack. The summary covers white playing the Italian Game by moving their bishop to c4 on the third move. It then provides an example continuation of the moves with brief commentary on white setting up their center and black castling before future articles will explore more theoretical lines of the opening.

Uploaded by

Von Greggy Moloboco II
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

The Two Knights Defense Playing 1.E4 - E5 2.

Nf3
Opening Variations

The Two Knights Defense is the third in a


series of articles reviewing black's second move
after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3. It continues with 2...Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6 and can be frought with theory, from
white's Fried Liver Attack with 4.Ng5, to black's
response with theTraxler Counter Attack. For this
article, the first in the series of the Two Knights
Defense, it's my intent to start with less theoretically
dense moves that are not "reckless". The Fried Liver
Attack and The Traxler Counter Attack will be
covered indepth in future articles once we've
established a foundation of normal, natural moves
that control the center.
The Two Knights Defense begins with black's third
move 3...Nc6. White usually responds in one of 2
ways:

3.Bg4 - The Ruy Lopez - which is loaded with


theoretical lines or
3.Bc4
- The Italian Game - which is less complicated and
where we will start.
Black's third move 3...Nf6 is considered a more aggressive
defense than the Giuoco Piano 3...Bc5and was
extensively developed in the 1800s.
The Two Knights Defense has been adopted as black by
many aggressive players including Mikhail Chigorin and Paul
Keres, as well as World Champions Mikhail Tal and Boris
Spassky.
The Two Knights Defense
1. e4e52. Nf3Nc63. Bc4The Italian Game
3... Nf6Two Knights Defense
4. d3This is a "quite move" that sets up the center for an attack.
It requires less theoretical knowledge and opens the diagonal for
the dark square bishop.
(4. d4This is also possible, but the Quite Move - 4.d3 will
push to d4 after it's defended by other pawns and is no
longer a "Gambit". )
4... Bc55. c3Controls the dark squares and adds more pressure
to d4.
5... O-O6. O-Od6Opens the diagonal for the light square bishop
7. b4Attacking the bishop and occupying queenside space.
7... Bb68. d4Now the pawn is pushed to take its rightful place
with plenty of defense behind it.

Future articles will explain more theoretical attacks and


counter attacks of the Two Knights Defense. I hope this

sheds light on how to play this opening variation. Look for


the next in the series - The Fried Liver Attack.

You might also like