Four Knights Game

MICOS Opening Group C16.FO – Four Knights Game begins with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6. Both sides develop their knights toward the centre, creating a symmetrical position based on classical opening principles. The natural development supports central control, prepares for castling and gives both players several possibilities for developing their remaining pieces.

Although the Four Knights Game begins quietly, it can develop into strategically rich positions involving central pawn play, piece manoeuvring and opportunities to break the initial symmetry. Its sound structure makes it suitable for players who value logical development while retaining opportunities for active and creative play. Use the searchable table below to find openings by opening name, chess notation or MICOS code and train individual openings interactively with MICOS CAP.

Search by Opening Name, Chess Notation or MICOS Code. MICOS classifies each opening by its exact move order.

Opening NameChess NotationMICOS CodeMICOS CAP
Four Knights Game1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6C16.001.FO
Gunsberg Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.a3C16.002.FOExplore ▶
Provincial Opening1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.a3 d6 5.h3C16.003.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5C16.004.FOExplore ▶
Ranken Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 a6 5.Bxc6C16.005.FOExplore ▶
Spielmann Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 a6 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nxe5 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 Qd4 8.0-0 Qxe5 9.Re1 Be6 10.d4 Qd5C16.006.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4C16.007.FOExplore ▶
Nimzowitsch Defence - Paulsen Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.Bxc6C16.008.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Defence: 6.d31.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3C16.009.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Defence: 6…Bxc31.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 Bxc3C16.010.FOExplore ▶
Svenonius Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d5C16.011.FOExplore ▶
Janowski Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d6 8.Re1C16.012.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6C16.013.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Tarrasch Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Be6C16.014.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Bernstein Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Ne7C16.015.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Metger Unpin1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7C16.016.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Capablanca Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 Nd8 10.d4 Bg4C16.017.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Pillsbury Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7C16.018.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Blake Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7 8.Nh4 c6 9.Bc4 d5 10.Bb3 Qd6C16.019.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Symmetrical Defence: Maroczy System1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Ne2C16.020.FOExplore ▶
Alatortsev Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 Qe7 7.Ne2 d5C16.021.FOExplore ▶
Blackburne Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nd5 Bc5 7.d4C16.022.FOExplore ▶
Gunsberg Counter-Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nd5 Nxd5 7.exd5 e4C16.023.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5C16.024.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Rubinstein Defence - Marshall Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nxe5 Nd4C16.025.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Bardeleben Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.f4 Nc6 9.e5 Bb4C16.026.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Marshall Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.Nxe5 Nd4 6.Ba4 0-0C16.027.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Rubinstein Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4C16.028.FOExplore ▶
Rubinstein Counter-Gambit: Henneberger Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.0-0C16.029.FOExplore ▶
Rubinstein Counter-Gambit: 5.Be21.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Be2C16.030.FOExplore ▶
Rubinstein Counter-Gambit: Maroczy Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Be2 Nxf3+ 6.Bxf3 Bc5 7.0-0 0-0 8.d3 d6 9.Na4 Bb6C16.031.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Rubinstein Accepted1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nxd4C16.032.FOExplore ▶
Spanish Classical Defence: Rubinstein Defence: 6.f41.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nxe5 Qe7 6.f4C16.033.FOExplore ▶
Italian Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4C16.034.FOExplore ▶
Italian Noa Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+C16.035.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4C16.036.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Oxford Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 Bb4 5.d5 Nd4C16.037.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Krause Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 Bb4 5.Nxe5C16.038.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Krause Gambit - Leonhardt Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 Bb4 5.Nxe5 Qe7C16.039.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack Accepted1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4C16.040.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Belgrade Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5C16.041.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Belgrade Gambit - Modern Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5 Nxe4 6.Qe2 f5C16.042.FOExplore ▶
Scotch Attack: Schmid Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Nxe4C16.043.FOExplore ▶
Glek System1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3C16.044.FOExplore ▶
Halloween Gambit1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5C16.045.FOExplore ▶
Halloween Gambit: Plasma Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Nc6 6.d5 Ne5 7.f4 Ng6 8.e5 Ng8 9.d6 cxd6 10.exd6 Qf6 11.Nb5 Rb8C16.046.FOExplore ▶
Halloween Gambit: Oldtimer Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Ng6 6.e5 Ng8 7.Bc4 Bb4 8.Qf3 f5C16.047.FOExplore ▶

Sub GroupsChess NotationMICOS CAP
Four Knights Game (C16.FO)
106. Spanish Symmetrical Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6C16.013.FO 🖥️
107. Scotch Attack1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4C16.036.FO 🖥️

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