The King's Knight Opening is a
chess opening
The opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established Chess_theory#Opening_theory, theory. The other phases are the chess middlegame, middlegame and the chess endgame, endgame. Many opening sequences, known as ''op ...
consisting of the moves:
:1.
e4 e5
:2.
Nf3
White's second move attacks the e-pawn. Black usually defends this with 2...Nc6, which leads to several named openings. Of the alternatives, the most important are
Petrov's Defense
Petrov's Defence or the Petrov Defence (also called Petroff Defence, Petrov's Game, Russian Defence, or Russian Game ">/nowiki> is a chess opening characterised by the following moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 Nf6
Though this response has a long ...
(2...Nf6) and
Philidor's Defense
The Philidor Defence (or Philidor's Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 d6
The opening is named after the famous 18th-century player François-André Danican Philidor, who advocated it as an alternati ...
(2...d6).
Main line: 2...Nc6
Most games (more than 80%) continue with
2...Nc6.
Some moves from here include:
*
3. Bb5:
Ruy Lopez
The Ruy Lopez (; ), also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 Nc6
:3. Bb5
The Ruy Lopez remains one of the most popular chess openings, featuring many variations. In ...
**
3...a6: Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence (main line)
**
3...Nf6:
Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence
**
3...d6:
Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence
**
3...f5:
Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defence
**
3...Bc5:
Ruy Lopez, Classical Defence
*
3. Bc4:
Italian Game
The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning with the moves:
:1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5
:2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3 ...
**
3...Bc5:
Giuoco Piano
The (; )Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 153. ''Giuoco Piano''. "The name means 'quiet game' and until the 19th century was often applied to any opening that was not a gambit." is a chess opening beginning with the moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 Nc6
:3. ...
**
3...Nf6:
Two Knights Defence
**
3...d6:
Semi-Italian Opening
*
3. d4:
Scotch Game
*
3. Nc3:
Three Knights Game
**
3...Nf6:
Four Knights Game
**
3...g6: Three Knights Game (main)
*
3. c3:
Ponziani Opening
The Ponziani Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
:1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5
:2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc ...
Other Black defenses
Of the alternatives, 2...Nf6 (Petrov's Defense) is considered fully respectable and is common in grandmaster games. Philidor's Defense is playable but is seen more rarely.
*
2...Nf6:
Petrov's Defense
Petrov's Defence or the Petrov Defence (also called Petroff Defence, Petrov's Game, Russian Defence, or Russian Game ">/nowiki> is a chess opening characterised by the following moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 Nf6
Though this response has a long ...
(C42)
*
2...d6:
Philidor's Defense
The Philidor Defence (or Philidor's Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 d6
The opening is named after the famous 18th-century player François-André Danican Philidor, who advocated it as an alternati ...
(C41)
Less common defenses
A number of less popular continuations are possible. These openings are generally considered to be less sound than those mentioned above. These openings are all categorized in the ''
ECO'' under code C40.
*
2...f5:
Latvian Gambit
The Latvian Gambit (or Greco Countergambit) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
:1. e4 e5
:2. Nf3 f5
It is one of the oldest chess openings, having been analysed in the 16th century by Giulio Cesare Polerio and then the 17th cent ...
*
2...d5:
Elephant Gambit
*
2...Qe7:
Gunderam Defense
*
2...f6:
Damiano Defence
The Damiano Defence is a chess opening beginning with the moves:
# e4 e5
# Nf3 f6?
The defence is one of the oldest chess openings, with games dating back to the 16th century. It is a weak opening that gives a large advantage for White after 3. ...
*
2...Qf6:
Greco Defence
*
2...Bc5: Busch-Gass Gambit
References
* ''Batsford Chess Openings 2'' (1989, 1994). Garry Kasparov, Raymond Keene. .
External links
Analysis at Chessgames.com
{{Authority control
Chess openings