Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Open Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4
The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Open Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C56, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4. It is a line of the Italian Game. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 13,032 times by this move order. White won 53%, 4% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 4… exd4 (68% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4… exd4 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qe2 Nc5 7. c3)
- ECO
- C56
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2BPP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 5,714 | |
| 1500-1999 | 5,954 | |
| 2000+ | 1,364 | |
| All | 13,032 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… exd4 Scotch Gambit, Dubois Réti Defense | 8,821 (68%) | |
| 4… Nxe4 | 1,260 (10%) | |
| 4… d6 Scotch Invitation Declined | 1,055 (8%) | |
| 4… d5 | 599 (5%) | |
| 4… Nxd4 | 413 (3%) | |
| 4… Bd6 | 224 (2%) | |
| 4… Bb4+ | 223 (2%) | |
| 4… Na5 | 114 (1%) |
Master games
89 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 71%, draw 9%, Black 20%). The strongest:
- GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2510) – GM Antoaneta Stefanova (2467) 0-1 · Women's Speed Chess Main · 2022-06-20
- GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2521) – IM Mukhiddin Madaminov (2442) 1-0 · Titled Tue 1st Nov Early · 2022-11-01
- FM Tymur Keleberda (2282) – IM Mukhiddin Madaminov (2430) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 3rd Jan Early · 2023-01-03
- FM Vinzent Spitzl (2346) – FM Enrique Alvarez Fernandez (2349) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 25th May · 2021-05-25
- FM Arthur Lucas (2335) – FM Ari Guz (2318) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 4th Jan · 2022-01-04
Search all games of the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Open Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Squoznyak (2889) – IM Hripach007 (2705) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- CM Mikkel_Vinh (2690) – umbrella01 (2795) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- tsnylsw (2763) – FM Crew12 (2711) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense (3. Bc4 Nf6) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
Continuations
- Italian Game: Scotch Invitation Declined C56 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 d6
- Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Dubois Réti Defense C44 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4
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.