Caissa Codex
C49

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Gunsberg Counterattack

Chess diagram: Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Gunsberg Counterattack after 7…e4

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

669 games: White 25.3% / Draw 10.9% / Black 63.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
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Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.03 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. Ne1 Ne7 9. d3 c6 10. Ba4 cxd5 11. c3 Ba5 12. Bc2 Re8

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

Overview

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Gunsberg Counterattack (ECO C49, Open Games) is a variation of Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Nd5 Nxd5 7. exd5 e4 (7 moves).

In 669 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 25.3%, Black 63.8% and 10.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. dxc6, in 86% of those games.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Nd5 Nxd5 7. exd5 e4, the position after Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game also goes on to:

Cite this page

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

https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-gunsberg-counterattack