Two Knights DefenseC55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6. Black brings the second knight out to f6 and hits White's e4 pawn, instead of copying the bishop move.

Its full name in the Lichess list is Italian Game: Two Knights Defense.

Move by move

3... Nf6: knight to f 6

White: e4, pawn to e 4.
Black: e5, pawn to e 5.
White: Nf3, knight to f 3.
Black: Nc6, knight to c 6.
White: Bc4, bishop to c 4.
Black: Nf6, knight to f 6.

What each side wants

⚪ White: Guard e4 with d3 and play a calm game, or go for f7 right away with Ng5.

⚫ Black: If White's knight comes to g5, block the bishop's line with ...d5 straight away.

Black made the last move, so after this it is White's turn.

You will also hear it called the Two Knights.

Three things every opening does

The Two Knights Defense follows the three ideas strong players use in every opening. Get a pawn or two into the middle of the board, because pieces in the middle can reach more squares. Bring out your knights and bishops before you move the queen a lot, so she is not chased around. And castle early, so your king is tucked behind a wall of pawns and your rook joins the game. When you forget the moves, those three ideas will still help you find a good one.

Try it

Play it against Peabody on Play, then solve today's puzzle. Openings that start the same way:

Name, code and moves from the Lichess openings list (CC0), checked 31 October 2026. The words are Peabody's own, and every move on this page is checked by Peabody's chess engine.