C49

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation

Chess diagram: Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation after 7…d5

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

5 games: White 60.0% / Draw 0.0% / Black 40.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
22
22
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.59 White is slightly better

Best play: 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. a3 Bd6 10. c4 Nf6 11. b4 e4 12. Bxc6 bxc6

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

Overview

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation (ECO C49, Open Games) is a variation of the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Double Spanish, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Qe7 7. Ne2 d5 (7 moves).

In 5 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 60.0%, Black 40.0% and 0.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. c3, in 40% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Alatortsev Variation (C49)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-alatortsev-variation