Caissa Codex
C48

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation 4…Nd4 5. Be2

Chess diagram: Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation after 5. Be2

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Statistics from Lichess

14,820 games: White 45.8% / Draw 6.8% / Black 47.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
7,2067,206
2,2782,278
2,0732,073
1,7081,708
478478
359359
320320
147147

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.07 The position is about equal

Best play: 5... Bd6 6. Nxd4 exd4 7. Nb5 Bc5 8. e5 Nd5 9. Bf3 Nf4 10. d3

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

Overview

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation (ECO C48, Open Games) is a variation of the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Be2 (5 moves).

In 14,820 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.8%, Black 47.4% and 6.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…Nxe2, in 49% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Maróczy Variation.

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How to answer 5. Be2

5…d6 scores best for Black: 54.7%, with Black winning 51.8% and White 42.4% of 2,073 games. The most played, 5…Nxe2, scores 49.5% in 7,206 games, and 5…Nxf3+ scores lowest: 48.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…Bd6.

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 5. Be2, the position after Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation (C48)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-rubinstein-variation-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-rubinstein-variation-2