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The four knights game (or eternal dullness)

The four knights game (or eternal dullness)

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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...

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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.

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You could play 1.d4 🙂

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Originally posted by Falco Lombardi
You could play 1.d4 🙂
I think he means from the black point of view.

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


Play 1....c6 🙂

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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. 🙂

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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!?

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Originally posted by angiardini
Try the Belgrade Gambit. 4. Nd5!?
Once again, from black.

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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 .

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😀hi I also hate the four knights game as black

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

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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

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

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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.

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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. 😀