Chess Openings·Italian Game, Two Knights Defence

Open Game

Italian Game, Two Knights Defence

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

Step through

6 / 6
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.

Tap a move to jump to that position.

Pieces, not pawns, are the ones that take the open squares. One of the oldest and most trodden paths in the game. Of the four central squares, pawns stand on e4 · e5. Nothing has been captured yet. Neither side has castled yet.

The position

Length
6 moves
To move
White
Legal replies
33
Minor pieces out
White 2 · Black 2
Material
level
Castling rights left
KQkq
FEN
r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 4 4

Move by move

Each move spelled out: which piece went from where to where.

  1. 1.e4White: Pawn e2→e4
  2. 1…e5Black: Pawn e7→e5
  3. 2.Nf3White: Knight g1→f3
  4. 2…Nc6Black: Knight b8→c6
  5. 3.Bc4White: Bishop f1→c4
  6. 3…Nf6Black: Knight g8→f6

Nearby lines

first 6 moves shared

Italian Game, Traxler Variation…Ng5 Bc5Italian Game, Fried Liver Attack…Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5Italian Game…Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Italian Game, Hungarian Defence…Be7Blackburne Shilling Gambit…Nd4Italian Game, Evans Gambit…Bc5 b4

Common questions

Q. What are the moves of Italian Game, Two Knights Defence?

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

Q. Which family does it belong to?

Open Game — Everything that starts 1.e4 e5.

Q. Who is to move next?

After 6 moves it is White to move.