Chess opening · ECO C55
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense
3...Nf6 answers 3.Bc4 in the Two Knights Defense, bringing a second knight out and hitting the e4 pawn right away. Black skips ...Bc5 and dares White to act. That choice gives White three distinct paths: the sharp 4.Ng5 at f7, the open 4.d4, or the slow 4.d3 that simply guards e4 and keeps the game quiet.
- Rank by weighted share
- #48 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
- 2... Nc6The knight on c6 defends e5 and eyes d4. Its partner will soon arrive on f6, and the pair will then cover d4, d5, e4 and e5 between them.
- 3... Nf6Developing with a threat: the f6 knight attacks e4, which White must now protect or counter. It also blocks the d8 queen's diagonal to g5, so a white knight can land there unchallenged.
4.Ng5 doubles up on f7
The knight jump puts two white pieces, the g5 knight and the c4 bishop, on f7, guarded only by the black king. Black must react at once, and the usual answer is ...d5 to block the bishop's diagonal. That leads into the Knight Attack, which has its own page.
4.d4 opens the center
After 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O, White castles and lets Black take on e4 if Black wants. Taking with 5...Nxe4 invites 6.Re1, pinning the knight to the black king on the open e-file. Black usually answers 6...d5, which defends the knight and lets White take a pawn back.
Pushing e5 instead, against the f6 knight, is another way to play the same open structure. In both lines White lets the d4 pawn stand for a few moves in return for open lines and quick development.
4.d3 and the slow Italian
Here White guards e4 with a pawn and builds patiently with O-O, Re1 and c3. Black usually answers with ...Be7 or ...Bc5 and castles. The game turns into a maneuvering fight where both sides regroup knights and wait for the right moment to push d4 or ...d5.
Top replies by rating
Ng5 leads every band shown and d3 sits second in each one. Among players rated 2000 and up, O-O replaces Nc3 in the top three.
Questions
Why can't White just take on e5 with the knight?
After 4.Nxe5 Black's c6 knight recaptures, and White has given a knight for a pawn. The e5 pawn is defended, so the capture simply gives up a piece.
Is the Two Knights the same as the Fried Liver?
No. The Fried Liver is one sharp branch of the Knight Attack, reached after 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 and a knight sacrifice on f7. Black can avoid it with other fifth moves.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.