Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Oldtimer Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bb4 8. Qf3 f5

Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Oldtimer Variation after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bb4 8. Qf3 f5 87654321abcdefgh

The Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Oldtimer Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C47, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bb4 8. Qf3 f5. It is a line of the Four Knights Game. White is to move.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1 times by this move order. White won 0%, 0% were drawn and Black won 100%. The most popular continuation is 9. Qxf5 (100% of games).

Engine evaluation: −0.57 (Stockfish, depth 30; best line 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Qh4 11. g3 Qh3)

ECO
C47
Moves
16 plies
FEN
r1bqk1nr/pppp2pp/6n1/4Pp2/1bBP4/2N2Q2/PPP2PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq f6 0 9
PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bb4 8. Qf3 f5

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average ratingGamesWhite / draw / Black
1500-19991100%
All1100%

Most played moves

MoveGamesWhite / draw / Black
9. Qxf51 (100%)100%

Highest-rated Lichess games

Comes from

Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5

More Four Knights Game lines (all)

Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.