Richter-Veresov Attack: Two Knights System
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3
The Richter-Veresov Attack: Two Knights System is a chess opening classified as ECO D01, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3. It is a line of the Richter-Veresov Attack. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 108 times by this move order. White won 35%, 12% were drawn and Black won 53%. The most popular continuation is 4… e6 (30% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.16 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4… e6 5. e4 h6 6. Bxf6 Nxf6 7. Qd3)
- ECO
- D01
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pppnpppp/5n2/3p2B1/3P4/2N2N2/PPP1PPPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 3 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 19 | |
| 1500-1999 | 28 | |
| 2000+ | 61 | |
| All | 108 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… e6 | 32 (30%) | |
| 4… h6 | 31 (29%) | |
| 4… c6 | 16 (15%) | |
| 4… g6 Two Knights System, Grünfeld Defense | 14 (13%) | |
| 4… c5 | 9 (8%) | |
| 4… b6 | 4 (4%) | |
| 4… Nb6 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
263 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 31%, draw 24%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2743) – GM Eltaj Safarli (2649) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid 2014 · 2014-06-17
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2659) – GM Peter Leko (2674) 0-1 · Abu Dhabi Blitz Match · 2019-08-08
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2659) – GM Peter Leko (2674) 1/2-1/2 · Abu Dhabi Blitz Match · 2019-08-08
- IM Oliver Mihok (2515) – GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov (2704) 1/2-1/2 · Bundesliga 2015-16 · 2016-04-10
- IM Seyed Khalil Mousavi (2522) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2676) 0-1 · ch-IRI 2021 · 2021-04-11
Search all games of the Richter-Veresov Attack: Two Knights System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM rhinoceros2015 (2673) – doyoulikedonuts (2644) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- GM Vagizovich (2597) – PyPsIk2012 (2717) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- IM rhinoceros2015 (2682) – July16Q (2609) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Richter-Veresov Attack (2… d5 3. Bg5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5
Continuations
- Richter-Veresov Attack: Two Knights System, Grünfeld Defense D01 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3 g6
More Richter-Veresov Attack 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.