The four knights game (or eternal dullness)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 is the four knights game. Do you have any ideas to make this opening a bit more interesting or worth to play? I find it really boring as it always goes into a symettrical position...

You could always try the Halloween for the hell of it, but the Four Knights is a good reason for not playing 1.e4 in the first place.

You could play 1.d4 🙂

Originally posted by Falco Lombardi
You could play 1.d4 🙂

I think he means from the black point of view.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
I think he means from the black point of view.

Oh....


Play 1....c6 🙂

Originally posted by Falco Lombardi
Oh....


Play 1....c6 🙂

Oh god, if you do you might as well kill yourself! 😀 Just kidding, seriously don't kill yourself over your opening.

1...c5 or 1...e5 are good. 🙂

Originally posted by anthias
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 is the four knights game. Do you have any ideas to make this opening a bit more interesting or worth to play? I find it really boring as it always goes into a symettrical position...

Try the Belgrade Gambit. 4. Nd5!?

Originally posted by angiardini
Try the Belgrade Gambit. 4. Nd5!?

Once again, from black.

Originally posted by angiardini
Try the Belgrade Gambit. 4. Nd5!?

That is the Halloween Gambit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_Gambit

The Belgrade Gambit is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5 .

😀hi I also hate the four knights game as black

1e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 is interesting.

Here is a spicy alternative
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nd4
I really can't say if its sound or not... just thought of it.

Or, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

If 4. g3, try 4. ... Nxe4!

Originally posted by anthias
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 is the four knights game. Do you have any ideas to make this opening a bit more interesting or worth to play? I find it really boring as it always goes into a symettrical position...

No

They play 4.Bb5 you copy them with 4...Bb4.


I basically end up copying white for several moves. It's boring but unlikely that white will get any advantage.

Originally posted by TommyC
If 4. g3, try 4. ... Nxe4!

Yes! Silman wrote an article on this line for his website. The point is is that it's a Halloween Attack Reversed, but white can't retreat his knight to g3 like he would like to. Really interesting. 😀