Four Knights: Scotch, Bogoljubow

Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation

Definition

The Scotch Variation of the Four Knights Game is an open, tactical line that begins with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4. By striking in the center with 4.d4, White transforms the normally quiet Four Knights into a position reminiscent of the classical Scotch Game, hence the name.

Typical Move Order

• 1.e4 e5
• 2.Nf3 Nc6
• 3.Nc3 Nf6
• 4.d4 exd4
• 5.Nxd4 Bb4 (main line)
  • 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 leads to a dynamically balanced position.

Strategic Themes

• Central Tension: After 4.d4 the pawn structure can become fluid, and both sides fight for control of d4, d5, e4, and e5.
• Piece Activity: Knights and bishops are quickly developed; open lines favor rapid piece play.
• Pawn Targets: Black often accepts doubled c-pawns (…Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6) in return for the strong pawn duo on c6–d5.

Historical Significance

Although the basic idea goes back to the 19th century, it was popularized in the 20th by masters such as Rudolf Spielmann and later refined by Garry Kasparov, who used it to score an explosive win against Nigel Short (Tilburg 1989).

Illustrative Game

In Kasparov – Short, Tilburg 1989, White sacrificed the exchange to obtain a queenside pawn avalanche; the game is often cited in opening manuals as a model for central and queenside play in the Scotch Four Knights.

Interesting Facts

• Because the variation frequently transposes to the Scotch Four Knights Game, many databases index it under both the Scotch Game and the Four Knights ECO codes (C47–C48).
• Martin Andersen, a Danish correspondence IM, used an improvement on move 10 to score 8½/9 in the 31st Danish Corr. Championship, showing the line’s long-term viability in correspondence chess.

Four Knights Game: Bogoljubow Variation

Definition

The Bogoljubow Variation, named after the Ukrainian-born grandmaster Efim Bogoljubow, arises after the surprising fianchetto move 4.g3 in the Four Knights: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3. Instead of fighting immediately in the center, White plans a kingside fianchetto, echoing ideas from the King’s Indian Attack.

Typical Continuations

• 4…d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2
  • 6…Nxc3 7.bxc3 Bd6 aims for a solid setup.
  • 6…Nf6 7.O-O Be7 keeps a flexible structure.
• 4…Bb4 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O d6, leading to a Ruy-Lopez style battle with the bishop on g2.

Strategic Themes

1. Hypermodern Influence: By delaying the central advance, White invites Black to occupy the center and then plans to undermine it with c2-c3 or d2-d4.
2. Long-term Pressure: The bishop on g2 eyes the e4-square and the long diagonal, which can become potent in endgames.
3. Reduced Theory: Compared to sharp lines like 4.d4, the Bogoljubow is less analysed, making it a useful surprise weapon.

Historical Perspective

Efim Bogoljubow tried the line in several exhibition games in the 1920s, but it gained renewed attention when Bent Larsen adopted it in the 1960s, true to his love of unorthodox fianchetto systems. More recently, grandmasters such as Baadur Jobava and Daniel Naroditsky have used 4.g3 in rapid and blitz, reflecting its practical value.

Miniature Example

Jobava – Fridman, Dresden Blitz 2015, showcased how quickly Black can go wrong: the premature 11…e4 allowed White’s queen and bishop to seize the light squares, culminating in a decisive attack within 25 moves.

Interesting Tidbits

• The line is sometimes dubbed the “Leningrad Four Knights” in older Soviet literature, though that term is now rarely used.
• According to MegaBase statistics (2023), 4.g3 scores about 54 % for White in master practice, outperforming the main line 4.Bb5 by roughly 3 percentage points.
• Because Black’s most principled reply is 4…d5, many players treat the variation as a gateway to improved understanding of the Grünfeld and Catalan structures.