The Two Knights Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
The Black Knight move 3... Nf6 announces the Two Knights; this aggressive defense results in open and often complex play.
White must respond to the attack on his e-pawn
Wilkes-Barre or Traxler Variation
4. Ng5 Bc5!?
5. Bxf7+! Ke7
6. Bb3!
Traxler Counterattack
or Wilkes-Barre Variation
4. Ng5 Bc5!?
5. Bxf7+ Ke7
6. Bd5 Rf8
7. O-O d6
8. c3 Bg4
9. Qb3 Bb6
10. Bxc6 bxc6
Lolli Variation
4.Ng5 d5
5. exd5 Nxd5!?
6. d4 Bb4+
7. c3 Be7
8. Nxf7 Kxf7
9. Qf3+ Ke6
10. Qe4 Rf8
Fried Liver Attack
6. Nxf7!? Kxf7
7. Qf3+ Ke6
8. Nc3 Ncb4
9. a3 Nxc2+
10. Kd1 Nxa1
Morphy Variation
5.... Na5
6. d3 h6
7. Nf3 e4
8. Qe2 Nxc4
9. dxc4 Bc5
10. Nfd2 O-O
Main Line Ng5
6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6
8. Be2 h6
9. Nf3 e4
10. Ne5 Bc5
Steinitz Variation
9. Nh3 Bd6
10. d3 O-O
Bogoljubow Variation
8. Qf3 Rb8
9. Bd3 h6
10. Ne4 Nd5
Ulvestad Variation
5. ... b5
6. Bf1 h6
7. Nf3 Qxd5
8. Nc3 Qe6
9. Bxb5 Bb7
10. Qe2 O-O-O
Fritz Variation
5. ... Nd4
6. c3 b5
7. Bf1 Nxd5
8. Ne4 Qh4
9. Ng3 Bg4
10. f3 e4
Classical Variation
4. d4 exd4
5. O-O Nxe4
6. Re1 d5
7. Bxd5 Qxd5
8. Nc3 Qh5
9. Nxe4 Be6
10. Bg5 Bd6
Max Lange Attack
5. ... Bc5
6. e5 d5
7. exf6 dxc4
8. Re1+ Be6
9. Ng5 Qd5
10. Nc3 Qf5
Modern Variation
5. e5 d5
6. Bb5 Ne4
7. Nxd4 Bc5
8. Be3 Bd7
9. Bxc6bxc6
10. O-O Bb6
op. 1 Modern Variation
5 ... Ne4
6. Qe2 Nc5
7. O-O Ne6
8. Rd1 d5
9. Bb5 Bc5
10. c3 O-O
op. 2 Modern Variation
5 ... Ng4
6. O-O d6
7. exd6 Bxd6
8. Re1+ Be7
9. h3 Nf6
10. Nbd2 O-O
Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit
4. Nc3 Nxe4
5. O-O Nxc3
6. dxc3 Be7
7. Qd5 O-O
8. Nxe5 Nxe5
9. Qxe5 Bf6
10. Qh5 c6
Op. 1 Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit
4. O-O Nxe4
5. Nc3 ...
6. ... f6
7. Nh4 g6
8. f4 Qe7
9. Kh1 d6
10.... ...
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
The Black Knight move 3... Nf6 announces the Two Knights; this aggressive defense results in open and often complex play.
White must respond to the attack on his e-pawn
Wilkes-Barre or Traxler Variation
4. Ng5 Bc5!?
5. Bxf7+! Ke7
6. Bb3!
Traxler Counterattack
or Wilkes-Barre Variation
4. Ng5 Bc5!?
5. Bxf7+ Ke7
6. Bd5 Rf8
7. O-O d6
8. c3 Bg4
9. Qb3 Bb6
10. Bxc6 bxc6
Lolli Variation
4.Ng5 d5
5. exd5 Nxd5!?
6. d4 Bb4+
7. c3 Be7
8. Nxf7 Kxf7
9. Qf3+ Ke6
10. Qe4 Rf8
Fried Liver Attack
6. Nxf7!? Kxf7
7. Qf3+ Ke6
8. Nc3 Ncb4
9. a3 Nxc2+
10. Kd1 Nxa1
Morphy Variation
5.... Na5
6. d3 h6
7. Nf3 e4
8. Qe2 Nxc4
9. dxc4 Bc5
10. Nfd2 O-O
Main Line Ng5
6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6
8. Be2 h6
9. Nf3 e4
10. Ne5 Bc5
Steinitz Variation
9. Nh3 Bd6
10. d3 O-O
Bogoljubow Variation
8. Qf3 Rb8
9. Bd3 h6
10. Ne4 Nd5
Ulvestad Variation
5. ... b5
6. Bf1 h6
7. Nf3 Qxd5
8. Nc3 Qe6
9. Bxb5 Bb7
10. Qe2 O-O-O
Fritz Variation
5. ... Nd4
6. c3 b5
7. Bf1 Nxd5
8. Ne4 Qh4
9. Ng3 Bg4
10. f3 e4
Classical Variation
4. d4 exd4
5. O-O Nxe4
6. Re1 d5
7. Bxd5 Qxd5
8. Nc3 Qh5
9. Nxe4 Be6
10. Bg5 Bd6
Max Lange Attack
5. ... Bc5
6. e5 d5
7. exf6 dxc4
8. Re1+ Be6
9. Ng5 Qd5
10. Nc3 Qf5
Modern Variation
5. e5 d5
6. Bb5 Ne4
7. Nxd4 Bc5
8. Be3 Bd7
9. Bxc6bxc6
10. O-O Bb6
op. 1 Modern Variation
5 ... Ne4
6. Qe2 Nc5
7. O-O Ne6
8. Rd1 d5
9. Bb5 Bc5
10. c3 O-O
op. 2 Modern Variation
5 ... Ng4
6. O-O d6
7. exd6 Bxd6
8. Re1+ Be7
9. h3 Nf6
10. Nbd2 O-O
Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit
4. Nc3 Nxe4
5. O-O Nxc3
6. dxc3 Be7
7. Qd5 O-O
8. Nxe5 Nxe5
9. Qxe5 Bf6
10. Qh5 c6
Op. 1 Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit
4. O-O Nxe4
5. Nc3 ...
6. ... f6
7. Nh4 g6
8. f4 Qe7
9. Kh1 d6
10.... ...