Four Knights Game: Gunsberg Variation
Four Knights Game – Gunsberg Variation
Definition
The Gunsberg Variation of the Four Knights Game arises after the moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4. Here Black answers White’s Spanish-style bishop sortie (4.Bb5) by mirroring it with 4…Bb4, pinning the c3-knight and setting up a tense, highly symmetrical position.
Move-Order Map
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- Nc3 Nf6
- Bb5 Bb4 (Gunsberg Variation)
Alternative fourth-move replies for Black include 4…Bc5 (Italian Four Knights) and 4…Nd4 (Rubinstein Variation). Choosing 4…Bb4 steers the game into the Gunsberg lines.
Strategic Ideas
- Symmetry with a Twist – Both sides develop a bishop to b5/b4, but the consequences differ. White’s bishop eyes the f1–a6 diagonal, often pressuring c6 or trading on c6. Black’s bishop, however, pins the c3-knight and influences e1–h4.
- Pawns vs. Activity – After …Bxc3 dxc3 or bxc3, White may accept doubled c-pawns in return for the bishop pair and central space. Black relies on rapid castling and piece pressure.
- Flexible Center – Typical pawn breaks are d4 for White (sometimes prepared by Re1, h3) and …d5 or …d6 for Black. Because neither side has committed a central pawn beyond e5/e4, plans can switch quickly.
- Piece Placement – The queen’s knights often recycle: Nc3–e2–g3 (White) or Nc6–e7–g6 (Black). Minor-piece manoeuvres are a hallmark of the variation.
Typical Continuations
Three of the most common fifth moves:
- 5.O-O – Quickly castles; after 5…O-O 6.d3 d6 we reach a calm, manoeuvring middlegame.
- 5.d3 – Reinforces e4, defers castling and keeps tension.
- 5.Nd5 – The most forcing try; White immediately attacks c7 and puts the question to Black’s centre. After 5…Nxd5 6.exd5 Black can aim for …e4 or …Ne7 to re-route.
Historical Significance
The line is named for Isidor Gunsberg (1854-1930), a Hungarian-born British master who challenged Wilhelm Steinitz for the world championship in 1890-91. Gunsberg popularised the 4…Bb4 idea in late-19th century praxis, seeking solid equality against the fashionable 4.Bb5.
Although overshadowed in modern elite play by sharper openings, the Gunsberg Variation still appears when top players wish to keep pieces on the board yet avoid heavy theory. Vladimir Kramnik, Peter Svidler and Magnus Carlsen have all employed it in rapid and classical games.
Illustrative Game
Steinitz – Gunsberg, World Championship (Game 11), 1891
Steinitz accepted doubled pawns but kept the bishop pair, eventually seizing the initiative on the kingside. The game finished in a long manoeuvre ending after 79 moves, demonstrating the positional richness of the variation.
Modern Snapshot
In the online blitz arena the line retains a respectable score for both sides.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because the bishops stare at each other across the b5-b4 diagonal, commentators sometimes joke that the position looks like “two fencers pointing foils.”
- In Carlsen – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 2012, Magnus purposely steered into the Gunsberg to avoid Topalov’s deep preparation in the Spanish Berlin. He eventually won a technical rook ending.
- Many club players reach the variation by accident: after the “classic” 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 they answer 3…Nf6, and if White now plays 4.Nc3 (a move-order trick) the game can transpose directly into Gunsberg territory.
Practical Tips
- As White, decide early whether you prefer the bishop pair (allow …Bxc3) or a fluid pawn structure (retreat Bb5–c4).
- As Black, do not hurry with …Bxc3 unless it inflicts structural damage and allows harmonious piece placement (…Re8, …d6, …Bg4).
- Watch the d5 square. Both sides often aim a knight there in the middlegame.
Summary
The Gunsberg Variation is a sound, strategically rich branch of the Four Knights Game. Its balanced nature makes it suitable for players who enjoy manoeuvring battles with latent tactical possibilities, and its classical pedigree links today’s practitioners with one of the great championship matches of the nineteenth century.