C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Double Spanish
C49 holds 15 named lines, all under the name Four Knights Game. It leaves C48 (Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation) with 4...Bb4. Material is no longer level at the end of two of its lines; the widest gap, three pawns in Black’s favour, comes in Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation. After 4...Bb4 the position is a mirror image: every Black man stands opposite its White counterpart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 3 | Nc3 | Nf6 |
| 4 | Bb5 | Bb4 |
Moves only C49 plays
Same as C48 up to 4.Bb5, then:
- 4...Bb4 The bishop leaves f8 for b4, opening a line for the rook on h8, attacking the knight on c3.
Lines filed under C49
All 15 share the start 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 and then split two ways at Black’s move 2.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Double Spanish | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 | 8 | |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Double Spanish | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 | 11 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.Bxc6 | 11 | White +3, both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Bxc3 | 12 | Black +3, both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 | 12 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Ne2 | 13 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Qe7 7.Ne2 d5 | 14 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Gunsberg Counterattack | 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.Nd5 Nxd5 7.exd5 e4 | 14 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Svenonius Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d5 | 14 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7 | 14 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation | 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Be6 | 14 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Janowski Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d6 8.Re1 | 15 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Metger Unpin | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7 | 16 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 Nd8 10.d4 Bg4 | 20 | both castled |
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Blake Variation | 2...Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7 8.Nh4 c6 9.Bc4 d5 10.Bb3 Qd6 | 20 | both castled |
The road to C49
- 1.e4 … 3.Nc3five earlier stops: B00, C20, C40, C44, C46
- 3...Nf6C47 Four Knights Game
- 4.Bb5C48 Spanish Variation
- 4...Bb4C49
The position after 4...Bb4
White has brought out the knight on c3, knight on f3 and bishop on b5; Black the knight on c6, knight on f6 and bishop on b4. White could capture with Bxc6, Nxe5. White is to move and has 32 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| C47 | Four Knights Game | four squares: f1, b4, b5, f8 |
| C65 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | four squares: b1, c3, b4, f8 |
| C28 | Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation | six squares: g1, f3, b4, c4, b5, f8 |
| C46 | Three Knights Opening | six squares: f1, b4, b5, f6, f8, g8 |
| C55 | Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | six squares: b1, c3, b4, c4, b5, f8 |
| C60 | Ruy Lopez | six squares: b1, c3, b4, f6, f8, g8 |
| C64 | Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation | six squares: b1, c3, b4, c5, f6, g8 |