Caissa Codex
C57

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation after 11…Nc7

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

1,431 games: White 42.6% / Draw 4.3% / Black 53.1%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
919919
184184
160160
124124
3939
22
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 24, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.57 Black is slightly better

Best play: 12. dxe5 Kf7 13. Bd2 Ke8 14. O-O-O Be6 15. f4 g6 16. h4 Qd7

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

Overview

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation (ECO C57, Open Games) is a variation of the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver Attack, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 Nb4 9. Qe4 c6 10. a3 Na6 11. d4 Nc7 (11 moves).

In 1,431 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.6%, Black 53.1% and 4.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 12. Qxe5+, in 64% of those games.

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How to play against the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation

12. f4 scores best for White: 55.9%, with White winning 52.5% and Black 40.6% of 160 games. The most played answer, 12. Qxe5+, scores lowest: 39.8% in 919 games. Stockfish's first choice is 12. dxe5.

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

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation (C57)”. Lichess data as of 24 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-two-knights-defense-fegatello-attack-leonhardt-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-two-knights-defense-fegatello-attack-leonhardt-variation