Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5
The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C57, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5. It is a line of the Italian Game. White is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 41,891 times by this move order. White won 52%, 3% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 5. exd5 (97% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 57; best line 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6)
- ECO
- C57
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3pp1N1/2B1P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 24,368 | |
| 1500-1999 | 14,584 | |
| 2000+ | 2,939 | |
| All | 41,891 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. exd5 | 40,523 (97%) | |
| 5. Bxd5 | 513 (1%) | |
| 5. Nxf7 | 455 (1%) | |
| 5. Bb3 | 216 (1%) | |
| 5. Bb5 | 103 (0%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 27 (0%) | |
| 5. Qf3 | 6 (0%) | |
| 5. Qh5 | 5 (0%) |
Master games
105 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 49%, draw 7%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- Vladimir Derguzov (2075) – Vladimir Kulbachny (1926) 0-1 · Moscow Gov Cup A Rapid · 2013-02-20
- Bryan Weisz (1962) – CM Oscar Humberto Ardila (1997) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Dec Late · 2022-12-06
- Gabriela Kroliczek (1911) – WCM Monika Marcinczyk (2030) 1-0 · ch-POL U20 Women 2020 · 2020-12-01
- WIM Sabrina Latreche (1972) – Natalya Myronenko (1942) 1-0 · 41st Olympiad Women 2014 · 2014-08-09
- IM Francis Eric Anquandah (1951) – CM Yusuf Mdoe (1758) 1-0 · 42nd Olympiad 2016 · 2016-09-12
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nana_jede_cevape (2894) – NM Andrey11976 (2789) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- kuhmft (2844) – GM Niksss2023 (2827) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM Super_FanZhendong (2882) – FM Crew12 (2724) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5
Continuations
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation C57 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nd4
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Kloss Gambit C57 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nb4
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense C58 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Ulvestad Variation C57 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver Attack C57 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Lolli Attack C57 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. d4
More Italian Game lines (all)
- Italian Game C50
- Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense C50
- Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Deutz Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (3… Bc5 4. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… d6 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5. O-O O-O) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… O-O 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Canal Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Dubois Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation C50
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.