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The Two Knight's Defence

The Two Knight's Defence

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I was wondering what everyone's opinion of the Two Knight's Defence, and how do you proceed against it? Do you play Ng5 or d4, for example? Do you like to play it as black? Do you think the pawn sacrifice in the main line Ng5 d5 is justified?

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i dont ever play it because you get messy pwn structure but thats just me

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I love this defense, if 4.Ng5 then try ... Bc5, if 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ this is a great way to throw somebody into making a mistake.

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Originally posted by sasuser
I love this defense, if 4.Ng5 then try ... Bc5, if 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ this is a great way to throw somebody into making a mistake.
You mean the Wilkes Barre Variation? I've been looking at it and I'm thinking of throwing it in at the next tournament!

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The Giuoco Piano is the way to deal with the Two Knights Defense?

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I like playing it as black. I play 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 b5

They had a lecture about that on chess.fm a long time ago. I had good results with in in OTB. The next time I got the same opponent he remembered what happen to him the first time and played 4.Nc3 when i hit him with 4...Nxe4 and 5.d5 HEHE 🙂

O check out chess.fm right now! Pete Tamboro has a mini lecture on it right now. Its called e4/e5 players.

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Any good openings book will give you good lines against the "Fried Liver" Attack (Ng5). the Wilkes Barre is a good comeback. I wouldn't play Ng5 here because of the databases unless you just want to have fun. I'd opt for the Ruy which is more solid. I think I played it once here (Ng5) and had to consult Estrin book on Two Knights because I was absolutely lost in variation. Good luck!

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[Event "TWO KNIGHTS ANALYSIS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2005.10.26"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[Annotator "Wulebgr"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
[TimeControl "60"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 (6. d4 $1 exd4 (
6... Bb4+ 7. c3 Be7 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. Qf3+ Ke6 10. Qe4 Rf8 11. O-O a6 12. Rd1 b5
13. Bb3 Bb7 14. dxe5 Na5 15. Bxd5+ Bxd5 16. Qxh7 $13) 7. O-O Be6 8. Re1 Qd7 9.
Nxf7 Kxf7 10. Qf3+ Kg8 11. Rxe6 Rd8 12. Bg5 Qxe6 13. Bxd8 Qe1+ 14. Bf1 Qe6 {
And White's Attack is strong according to Fine}) 6... Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3
Ncb4 (8... Nce7 9. d4 c6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxe7 Bxe7 12. O-O-O Rf8 13. Qe4 Rf4 14.
Qxe5+ Kf7 15. Nxd5 cxd5 16. Bxd5+ Kf8 17. Bb3 Rf5 18. Qe4 g6 19. h4) 9. Qe4 c6
10. a3 Na6 11. d4 Nac7 12. Bf4 Kf7 13. Bxe5 {
And White is much better according to Euwe} Be6 14. O-O Bd6 15. Nxd5 Bxe5 16.
Nxc7 Bxh2+ 17. Kh1 Bxc4 18. Nxa8 Bd6 19. Qf5+ Kg8 20. Rfe1 Qxa8 $15 {-0.24/14}
*

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Originally posted by Wulebgr
[Event "TWO KNIGHTS ANALYSIS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2005.10.26"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[Annotator "Wulebgr"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
[TimeControl "60"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 (6. d4 $1 exd4 (
6... Bb4+ 7. c3 Be7 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. Q ...[text shortened]... Nxd5 Bxe5 16.
Nxc7 Bxh2+ 17. Kh1 Bxc4 18. Nxa8 Bd6 19. Qf5+ Kg8 20. Rfe1 Qxa8 $15 {-0.24/14}
*
Yes, I know it's been proven that 5...Nxd5 gives white an advantage. The idea is 5...Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 and white must retreat the bishop with a loss of tempo. Black continues with rapid development and excellent centre and kingside prospects, which I think is adequate compensation for a pawn that black should be able to win back anyway.

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Again, totally agree with lukemcmullen here.

The sequence 5...Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 give Black ample compensation for the pawn with initiative but if White survives it then it will reap rewards.

Another interesting move in the Two Knights Defence is instead of playing 5... Na5, Blacks plays instead 5... Nd4(!?), I think this the the Fritz variation ... correct me if I'm wrong?

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Originally posted by Oddjob291
Again, totally agree with lukemcmullen here.

The sequence 5...Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 give Black ample compensation for the pawn with initiative but if White survives it then it will reap rewards.

Another interesting move in the Two Knights Defence is instead of playing 5... Na5, Blacks plays instead 5... Nd4(!?), I think this the the Fritz variation ... correct me if I'm wrong?
Yep, that's the Fritz Variation (NOT named after the engine, but named after a Doctor Fritz).