Caissa Codex
C49

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation

Chess diagram: Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation after 7…Be6

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.

Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.

Statistics from Lichess

1,319 games: White 53.3% / Draw 7.3% / Black 39.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
627627
198198
177177
8181
6868
4747
2929
2020

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.89 White is better

Best play: 8. Nd5 Bxd5 9. exd5 Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. a3 Ba5 12. b4 Bb6

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

Overview

Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation (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. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Be6 (7 moves).

In 1,319 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.3%, Black 39.4% and 7.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Nd5, in 48% of those games.

Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.

Write a description or report a mistake
What would you like to send?

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.

How to play against the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation

8. Ne2 scores best for White: 58.6%, with White winning 56.6% and Black 39.4% of 198 games. The most played, 8. Nd5, scores 57.3% in 627 games, and 8. a3 scores lowest: 53.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. Nd5.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 d6 7. Bg5 Be6, the position after Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Tarrasch Variation (C49)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-symmetrical-variation-tarrasch-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/four-knights-game-spanish-variation-symmetrical-variation-tarrasch-variation