Italian Game: Two Knights Defense – Knight Attack

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense

Definition

The Two Knights Defense is a dynamic variation of the Italian Game that arises after the moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6. Instead of mirroring White’s bishop with …Bc5 (Giuoco Piano), Black counters in the center, immediately attacking the e4-pawn with the king’s knight. Eco codes C55–C59 generally cover the numerous sub-lines.

How It Is Used

• Counter-punching weapon. Black patiently relinquishes equality of development in order to put rapid pressure on e4 and invite sharp, tactical play.
• Flexible. Black can steer toward calm positional lines (4.d3) or highly tactical melees (4.Ng5 Knight Attack, 4…Bc5 Traxler).
• Early cross-road for White. With the e4-pawn under fire, White must choose between:
  • 4.d3 – a modern, slow build-up
  • 4.Nc3 – the Four Knights transposition
  • 4.Ng5 – the aggressive Knight Attack (discussed below)

Strategic Themes

1. Central tension. Both sides wrestle over the key squares e4, e5, and d5. Tactical solutions often replace positional ones.
2. King safety. Black’s king can remain in the center for several moves; accurate play is required to avoid devastating sacrifices on f7.
3. Piece activity. Rapid development frequently overrides material considerations, especially in the 4.Ng5 lines.

Historical Significance

First analyzed in the late 16^th century by Giulio Polerio and later championed by Paul Morphy, the Two Knights became an early test bed for the romantic “all-out attack” style. Wilhelm Steinitz added positional nuances in the late 1800s, while modern engines still discover novelties today.

Classic Example

The famous “Opera House Game” (Morphy vs Duke Karl / Count Isouard, Paris 1858) began with the Two Knights. After 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5? (a dubious choice), Morphy’s pieces exploded through the center en route to a brilliant mating attack.

Interesting Facts

• The opening’s Italian name, “Il Gioco dei Due Cavalli in Difesa”, literally means “the game of the two knights in defense.”
• Engines rate the critical main line (4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5) as roughly equal, yet practical results in club play strongly favor White—a testament to the difficulty of Black’s defensive task.
• Even world champions rarely allow the feared Fried Liver Attack (…Nxd5?!) against prepared opponents.

Knight Attack (in the Two Knights Defense)

Definition

The Knight Attack refers to White’s fourth move 4. Ng5 in the Two Knights Defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5. By leaping to g5, the knight puts immediate, double pressure on f7, the weakest square in Black’s camp at the start of the game.

Main Continuations

• 4…d5 5.exd5 Na5 – Modern main line, keeping material balance and fighting for the center.
• 4…d5 5.exd5 Nxd5?! – The Fried Liver Attack; risky for Black as 6.Nxf7! can follow.
• 4…Bc5!? – The Traxler (Wilkes-Barre) Counter-Attack, inviting furious complications after 5.Nxf7 or 5.Bxf7+.

Strategic Ideas for White

1. Early material grab. Tactics on f7 can win a pawn (or more) if Black misplays.
2. Development lead. Even when Black survives, White often emerges a few tempi ahead, with open lines for the bishops and queen.
3. Psychological pressure. The threat of the Fried Liver forces Black to know theory or suffer a quick defeat, making it a potent practical weapon.

Strategic Ideas for Black

1. Counter-blow in the center. …d5 is essential, challenging White’s bishop and opening lines for defense.
2. King safety vs. activity. Black must harmonize piece coordination before castling; passive play is punished swiftly.
3. Accurate calculation. Memorization is helpful, but concrete, engine-like precision is the real antidote.

Illustrative Miniature

In countless scholastic games, this classic Fried Liver pattern ends with Black’s king wandering in the center while White’s pieces flood the board.

Historical & Modern Usage

Although 4.Ng5 has existed since the 1500s, its razor-sharp nature ensures it remains topical. Magnus Carlsen tried the line against Levon Aronian (Wijk aan Zee 2008) to surprise a well-prepared opponent, underscoring its continued relevance at the highest level.

Trivia & Anecdotes

• The Italian word for the Fried Liver, “Fegatello”, literally means “small liver,” supposedly comparing Black’s beleaguered king to chopped meat on the board.
• In casual chess lore, the advice “Never play …Nxd5 in the Two Knights!” is a time-honored warning to novices.
• The Traxler Counter-Attack (4…Bc5!?) was rediscovered independently in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, giving it a rare double name.