Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation
The Spanish Variation of the Four Knights Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5) is, together with the Scotch Variation (4.d4), one of the two main continuations of the Four Knights. Read the guide
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Statistics from Lichess
5,431,425 games: White 50.1% / Draw 5.5% / Black 44.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,680,7931.7M | ||
| Classical Variation | 1,327,6221.3M | |
| Double Spanish | 833,112833K | |
| 611,119611K | ||
| Rubinstein Variation | 585,816586K | |
| 173,519174K | ||
| 107,199107K | ||
| 46,36846K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
0.00 The position is about equal
Best play: 4... Nd4 5. Bc4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 Qe7 7. Nf3 d5 8. Bxd5 Bg4 9. d3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: White scores 53% under 1400, 54% at 2200 and up and 53% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 8M | |
| 1400–1799 | 6.4M | |
| 1800–2199 | 2.4M | |
| 2200 and up | 388K | |
| Masters, over the board | 7,618 |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Nakamura, H.
- Carlsen, M. – Ding Liren
- Harikrishna, P. – Carlsen, M.
- Carlsen, M. – Aronian, L.
- Wei Yi – Carlsen, M.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 26, 2026
Description
The Spanish Variation of the Four Knights Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5) is, together with the Scotch Variation (4.d4), one of the two main continuations of the Four Knights. White develops the bishop as in the Ruy Lopez, with the knights already on c3 and f6.
Origins
The Four Knights was a popular choice in the 19th century but had fallen out of favour by the First World War, as ambitious players turned to the Ruy Lopez. It saw a renaissance in the 1990s and is again played even by grandmasters. The Double Spanish line is one of the most classical in chess, with 19th-century games still influencing its assessment, and Nigel Short, Michael Adams and Alexei Shirov have played it.
The idea
The bishop on b5 attacks the c6-knight, which defends e5. The game is often quiet and positional, and the Four Knights has a drawish reputation, though some lines are sharp.
Main lines
- 4...Bb4, the Double Spanish, Black's most common move: the Ruy Lopez with mirrored moves added. Most games continue 5.O-O O-O, then 6.d3 d6, the Symmetrical Variation, where the main line is 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7, Metger's unpin. Black must not mirror with 7...Bg4?, which loses a piece after 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Nxb4.
- 4...Nd4, the Rubinstein Variation, named after Akiba Rubinstein, an unbalancing counter-gambit. 5.Ba4 is White's most common reply, 5.Bc4 a more modern one, and 5.Nxd4 a very drawish line that discourages many ambitious Black players.
- 4...Bc5, the Classical Variation, perfectly playable, as in the famous game Paulsen–Morphy from the First American Chess Congress of 1857.
- 4...a6 5.Bxc6, the Ranken Variation; 5.Ba4 transposes to the Ruy Lopez.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Solid, natural development with Ruy Lopez-type pressure on e5.
- A good way for White to avoid the theory of Petrov's Defense via 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6.
Weaknesses
- Drawish reputation, especially in the symmetrical lines and after 4...Nd4 5.Nxd4.
- Black has several sound replies, including the active Rubinstein Variation.
Who should play it
The Spanish Four Knights suits White players who like classical, positional chess and want a solid alternative to the main Ruy Lopez.
The numbers
On Lichess White wins about 50% at every level: 50.1% against 44.9% under 1400, 49.9% against 45.3% at 1400–1799, 50.4% against 43.9% at 1800–2199 and 49.4% against 42.2% from 2200 up. In about 7,600 master games 50.1% were drawn; White won 28.3% and Black 21.6%.
Suggest an improvement or report a mistake
How to play against the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation
4…Nd4 (Rubinstein Variation) scores best for Black: 50.1%, with Black winning 47.2% and White 46.9% of 586K games. The most played, 4…d6, scores 46.4% in 1.7M games, and 4…a6 scores lowest: 43.2%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…Nd4.
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
Popularity by year
The Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation peaked in 2021 at 0.23% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.19% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.2% | 72,188 |
| 2017 | 0.18% | 100,826 |
| 2018 | 0.19% | 148,454 |
| 2019 | 0.2% | 243,930 |
| 2020 | 0.23% | 668,897 |
| 2021 | 0.23% | 919,110 |
| 2022 | 0.21% | 803,886 |
| 2023 | 0.21% | 788,817 |
| 2024 | 0.2% | 719,422 |
| 2025 | 0.19% | 670,988 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.2% | 214,358 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (4)
Transpositions
All 23 named lines that continue from here
No line matches.
- C48 Classical Variation 4 moves
- C49 Double Spanish 4 moves
- C48 Ranken Variation 5 moves
- C48 Rubinstein Variation 4 moves
- C48 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Bardeleben Variation 9 moves
- C49 Double Spanish 6 moves
- C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation 6 moves
- C48 Rubinstein Variation 5 moves
- C48 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation Accepted 5 moves
- C48 Marshall Gambit 6 moves
- C48 Marshall Variation 6 moves
- C48 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Spielmann Variation 10 moves
- C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation 6 moves
- C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation 7 moves
- C48 Maróczy Variation 9 moves
- C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation 6 moves
- C49 Janowski Variation 8 moves
- C49 Svenonius Variation 7 moves
- C49 Symmetrical Variation 7 moves
- C49 Symmetrical Variation 7 moves
- C49 Metger Unpin 8 moves
- C49 Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation 10 moves
- C49 Blake Variation 10 moves
Sources
- History and theory: adapted from the Wikipedia article Four Knights Game, version of 26 October 2026, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Results: Lichess opening explorer, figures collected from September to November 2026.
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation (C48)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation