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The Four Knights: Move by Move
by Cyrus Lakdawala
Four Knights Scotch
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4

[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/3PP3/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
The Four Knights Scotch, in its sneaky way, theoretically quarantines Black
into a small room and greatly narrows your opponent's possibilities over the
normal Scotch Game. On the Black side, I find it hard to beat White, even
when my opponent is much lower rated. If you find the Four Knights Spanish
theoretically daunting, or just prefer a more open game, then you may want to
look into this chapter as an alternative or a secondary weapon. If you choose
this line as your main weapon, you will almost certainly be more attuned to
the nuances than your opponents, who rarely face it.

[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p4ppp/2p2n2/3p2B1/Nb6/
3B4/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 11"]
Here we have a key position of the chapter, which is reached after 4...exd4 5.
Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Na4.
White either plays for the c4 break or the c3, b4 blockade plan. The Four
Knights Scotch is relatively easy to learn. Play through the games of this
chapter and more likely than not, your understanding of the opening will
already be on a higher level than your opponents.
Zelcic, R Balogh, T
Mitropa Cup, Baden, 1999
Scotch Four Knights [C47]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4
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The opening salvo of the Four Knights Scotch.
Question: Why play an imitation when we can play the real Scotch
Game?
Answer: For practical reasons. The Scotch is a theoretically dangerous game.
By playing the Four Knights Scotch, we narrow and limit Black's choices, in
turn making our study that much easier. Kasparov lost his world title to
Kramnik mainly because he failed to dent Kramnik's Berlin Lopez. When
Kasparov was asked why he didn't try the Scotch as an alternative, he
answered that White was deeply vulnerable to opening prep in the Scotch
Game. If playing the Scotch is daunting to Kasparov, then maybe it should be
to us too, who aren't quite as prepared!
4...exd4
We look at 4...Bb4 in the final game of the chapter.
5.Nxd4 Bb4

[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/8/1b1NP3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
The main move. Black hopes to take advantage of White's early d4 by
pinning. We cover 5...Bc5 later in the chapter.
6.Nxc6
We don't want to be bothered by the defence of our d4-knight and
immediately create an imbalance.
Question: It seems to me that we just helped Black by strengthening his
centre. Why not pin ourselves with 6.Bg5 ?
Answer: The trouble is after 6...h6 we face a dilemma. If we back off with the
bishop, we are vulnerable to...g5 tricks, when our e-pawn hangs. We certainly
don't want to swap on f6, giving up the bishop pair in an open position, as
well as helping Black develop. So this leaves 7.Nxc6, the move you didn't
want to play! White already stands worse after 7...bxc6 8.Bd2 (White took
two moves to develop the bishop to a passive square) 8...0-0 9.Bd3 d5. Black
is up at least one tempo over what we normally get.
Question: Okay, I'm convinced. But what about the stabilizing move 6.
f3?
Answer: Too passive and too slow for the position. After 6...0-0 7.Bg5 h6 8.
Bh4 Re8 9.Be2 d5 White was already in trouble, W.Barlo-P.Viner, Bad
Zwischenahn 2003.
6...bxc6

[FEN "r1bqk2r/p1pp1ppp/2p2n2/8/1b2P3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
7.Bd3
Question: Why are we allowing Black to double and weaken our
pawns? I would play 7.Bd2 here.
Answer: Once again too slow. Don't worry so much about structure. Our
bishop pair and piece activity easily make up for it. After 7...0-0 8.Bd3 Re8
White is in trouble, mainly because of the lame 7th move: 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.
Bxc3 Nxe4 with an extra pawn for Black.
7...d5 8.exd5 cxd5
Sometimes Black taunts us by castling here. We should ignore the bait on c6
and follow suit by castling ourselves. Let's avoid 8...0-0 9.dxc6?! Bg4 10.
Be2?! (10.f3 Re8+ also gives Black loads of compensation) 10...Qe7 11.0-0
Rad8 and White had to give up his queen with 12.Bxg4 Rxd1 13.Bxd1 Bxc3
14.bxc3 when he isn't likely to survive, J.Candela Perez-N.Mitkov, Orense
1997.
Occasionally Black tries to throw us off with 8...Qe7+, which we meet with 9.
Qe2.
We shouldn't fear the ending:
a) 9...Nxd5 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 ; IM Jan Pinski gives this move an exclam in his
book on the Four Knights, since...Nb4 is in the air, but after 11.Bd2! Nb4 12.
Be4! f5 White can play 13.a3! when he retains the favourable pawn structure.
b) 9...cxd5 10.Bd2! Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 c6 12.Na4! (we play this move no matter
what the position!) 12...Bd6 13.Be3 0-0 14.f3 was A.Shirov-A.Karpov,
Moscow 1992. White has an edge for the following reasons:
1. A centralized king in the ending.
2. Some control over c5 and the central dark squares.
3. The c4 advance is in the air.
9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5
Threat: Bxf6.
10...c6
Question: I just don't get why Black won't take on c3. Can we look at a
continuation?
Answer: Dang. I see the need to repeat the mantra: Trust in activity and don't
fret about structure. White is more than okay there, I promise: 10...Bxc3 11.
bxc3 h6 12.Bh4 Rb8 13.Qf3 (remember, we are capable of damaging Black's
structure as well) 13...c5 (he can also play 13...Be6 but I still prefer White
after 14.Rab1 Rb6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.a4) 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxd5 Qxc3 16.Qe4
g6 17.Qf4! and White won a pawn by the double attack on b8 and h6, G.Peli-
A.Ruiz Symmes, correspondence 2003.
We examine 10...Be6 later in the chapter.

[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p4ppp/2p2n2/3p2B1/
1b6/2NB4/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 11"]
11.Na4
Triple purpose:
1. We sidestep...Bxc3.
2. We fight for c5 and the dark squares.
3. We clear the path for a c4 pawn break.
Question: What about the 11.Qf3 and 11 Ne2 lines?
Answer: I thought about putting in one game of each, but then decided it
would be better if we specialized exclusively on 11 Na4 and looked at three
games in this line. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to know
everything to be a good chess player. Just understand your lines well and have
them suit your style. You really don't even need to extract an advantage as
White. If you understand the position better than your opponent and your
opening choice is in harmony with your style, you are all set even if your
opponent manages to equalize.
11...h6 12.Bh4 Bd6
Alternatively:
a) 12...Re8 was Karjakin's choice (see the next game).
b) With 12...Be6 Black hopes to prevent c4. White usually plays 13.c3 here,
(but I'm not sure why when 13.Rc1 forces the c4 break anyway. White scores
well from this position.)
c) If 12...Be7 White can play the c4 break here, but most strong players go for
13.Re1 Be6 14.c3.

[FEN "r2q1rk1/p3bpp1/2p1bn1p/3p4/N6B/
2PB4/PP3PPP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 14"]
Here is an example of a game where White holds back on c4 and keeps the
pawn on c3 instead: 14...Re8 15.Bc2 (in order to load up with a queen/bishop
battery on h7 and also to prepare Qd4, fighting for c5) 15...Rb8 16.Qd4 a5 (I
prefer White after Houdini's suggested 16...c5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qxc5 Rxb2)
17.Re3! Qc7 18.Rae1 c5 19.Qd3 g5?? (he should have broken up the queen/
bishop battery with 19...c4) 20.Bg3 Bd6 21.Rxe6! 1-0, J.Lautier-I.Sokolov,
Correze 1992.
13.c4 Rb8
Question: Why doesn't Black take a passer now with 13...d4?
Answer: The passer is more of a weakness than a strength after White
artificially isolates it with 14.c5.
14.b3 Be6 15.Rc1 Rb4

[FEN "3q1rk1/p4pp1/2pbbn1p/3p4/NrP4B/
1P1B4/P4PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 16"]
Provoking a3.
16.a3!?
He gets provoked! White can also try 16.Qf3 g5 17.Bg3; but 16.cxd5?? walks
into 16...Bxh2+! 17.Kxh2 Rxh4+ 18.Kg1 Ng4! threatening...Rh1+ and Black
has a crushing attack.
16...Rb8 17.b4
17.cxd5 is also possible.
17...a5 18.c5
White moulds the pawn structure to his taste, the way a baker works raw
dough.
18...Be7!?
Maybe he should cover b6 with 18...Bc7.
19.Bg3 Ra8?
This move may be the point of origin of Black's suffering to come. Now
counterplay grows thin into ancient parchment.
Black can speculate with an exchange sac but this also falls short of equality
after 19...axb4!? 20.Bxb8 Qxb8 21.Rb1 Ng4 22.g3. Correct was 19...Rb7,
when Black stands only a tad worse.
20.Nb6 Ra7

[FEN "3q1rk1/r3bpp1/1Np1bn1p/p1Pp4/1P6/
P2B2B1/5PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 21"]
Exercise: White to play and win a pawn.
Answer: 21.Qa4!
Pinning the a5-pawn and bottling up Black's bid for freedom.
21...Bd7 22.Rfe1
White can also play 22.bxa5, but the pawn isn't running away.
22...Be8!?
The bishop attempts an inverse Houdini. He ties himself up and then can't be
bothered to attempt escape, reasoning "I can't escape because I'm all tied up!"
But to be fair, nothing works. 22...Ne8 is strongly met with 23.Nxd7 Qxd7 24.
b5.
23.Bf5 Nd7
23...Nh5 24.Be5 also looks pretty dismal for Black.

[FEN "3qbrk1/r2nbpp1/1Np4p/p1Pp1B2/
QP6/P5B1/5PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 24"]
Exercise (critical decision): Calculate the capture on c6. Can White get
away with it?
Answer: He can take it. All that remains is to reach out and grab that which is
already ours.
24.Qxc6! Nxc5
If you drop your weapon in a battle, your life depends upon how quickly you
retrieve it. Black counted on this trick.
25.Qxd5!
The queen recovers from the shot with the balance of a cat. Black must endure
the counter rebuke as helplessly as a first grader from a stern teacher.
25...Qxb6 26.bxc5
White is up a pawn with a dominating position.
26...Qb5 27.Bd3 Qc6 28.Qc4!
The coming Be4 smashes the c6 blockade.
28...Qa4 29.c6
Enemies tend to look smaller at a distance. Closer, we begin to understand
their danger. The pawn moves inexorably forward, an iceberg approaching the
cruise ship. a3 doesn't matter at all.
29...Qxa3
29...Qxc4 30.Rxc4 Bxa3 31.c7 Bd7 32.Rd4! wins.
30.Bb8 1-0
After 30.Bb8 Ra8 31.c7 Bd7 32.Qe4! the bemused queen smiles the wicked
smile of a woman in possession of her enemy's dark secrets. The triple attack
on h7, a8 and e7 ends the game.
Summary
Let's specialize and master the intricacies of the 11 Na4 line.
Order The Four Knights: Move by Move (Ebook)
by Cyrus Lakdawala
Order The Four Knights: Move by Move
by Cyrus Lakdawala
A PDF file of this month's column, along with all previous columns, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.
Comment on this month's column via our official Chess Blog!



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