Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation
Chess opening · ECO C47 · 7 half-moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4
The Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation is reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Four Knights Game with 4. d4.
How often it is played
The Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation and its variations appeared in 0.26% of games — 7,831 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 151 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 52%, 4.7% were drawn and Black won 43%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.09 — which is level. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 | 0.27% |
| Italian Game | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 | 4.6% |
| Scotch Game | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 | 2.0% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation Accepted | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 | 0.19% |
| Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Oxford Gambit | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. d5 Nd4 | 0.00% |
| Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. Nxe5 | 0.00% |
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