Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Plasma Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
1,044 games: White 55.8% / Draw 2.8% / Black 41.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 352352 | ||
| 199199 | ||
| 186186 | ||
| 121121 | ||
| 4040 | ||
| 3636 | ||
| 2323 | ||
| 2323 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 8, 2026
Engine evaluation
+2.93 White is clearly better
Best play: 12. Be3 b6 13. Qe2 Kd8 14. O-O-O Ba6 15. Qd2 Nh6 16. Nxa7 Nf5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Plasma Variation (ECO C47, Open Games) is a gambit in the Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Nc6 6. d5 Ne5 7. f4 Ng6 8. e5 Ng8 9. d6 cxd6 10. exd6 Qf6 11. Nb5 Rb8 (11 moves).
In 1,044 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.8%, Black 41.4% and 2.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 12. Be3, in 34% of those games.
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How to play against the Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Plasma Variation
The most played answer, 12. Be3, also scores best for White: 69.9%, with White winning 68.5% and Black 28.7% of 352 games. Of the main answers, 12. Nc7+ scores lowest: 43.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 12. Be3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit, Plasma Variation (C47)”. Lichess data as of 8 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-halloween-gambit-plasma-variation