Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Petrov's Defense › Three Knights Game › Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger Variation
  1. Chess Codex
  2. King's Pawn Game C20
  3. King's Knight Opening C40
  4. Petrov's Defense C42
  5. Three Knights Game C42
  6. Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger Variation C48 you are here
C48

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger Variation

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Overview

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Rubinstein Variation, Henneberger Variation is a named branch in the Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO C48.

The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.

The line arises from 9 plies — specifically the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. O-O.

In the opening tree, this line branches off from Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.

Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.

ECO code
C48
Group
Open Games (C)
Plies
9
Parent
Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

71,211 games · White 48.8% / Draw 6.8% / Black 44.4%

MovesGamesW / D / B
Nxb545,548
c613,808
Bc56,050
Nxf3+3,650
Bb4834
a6717
Bd6210
Nxe4155

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:05:54

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