Caissa Codex
C47

Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit

Chess diagram: Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit after 5. Nxe5

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

44,321 games: White 55.7% / Draw 6.9% / Black 37.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
14,51715K
13,59014K
Leonhardt Defense 6,7346,734
5,4325,432
3,5583,558
193193
153153
100100

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.21 The position is about equal

Best play: 5... Qe7 6. Qd3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 Nxe4 8. Qe3 Nd6 9. c3 Nf5 10. Nxc6

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit (ECO C47, Open Games) is a gambit in the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 Bb4 5. Nxe5 (5 moves).

In 44,321 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.7%, Black 37.4% and 6.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…Nxe4, in 33% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit, Leonhardt Defense.

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How to play against the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit

5…Qe7 (Leonhardt Defense) scores best for Black: 51.3%, with Black winning 44.7% and White 42.2% of 6,734 games. The most played, 5…Nxe4, scores 42.9% in 15K games, and 5…Nxe5 scores lowest: 33.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 5…Qe7.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4…Bb4 5. Nxe5, the position after Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation, Krause Gambit (C47)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-scotch-variation-krause-gambit

https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-scotch-variation-krause-gambit