Three Knights Opening and Steinitz Defense
Three Knights Opening
Definition
The Three Knights Opening arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3. Both sides develop a knight toward the center, but unlike the better-known Four Knights Game, White postpones the development of the king’s bishop. The ECO code most often associated with the opening is C46.
Typical Move Order
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3
From this tabiya, Black has several independent choices:
- 3…Nf6 – Transposes to the Four Knights Game after 4. Bb5.
- 3…d6 – The Steinitz Variation in the Three Knights, aiming for a Philidor-style structure.
- 3…f5 – The sharp Winawer Defense, immediately challenging the center.
- 3…g6 – A King’s Indian–flavored setup in an open-game framework.
Strategic Themes
- Flexibility. By holding back the light-squared bishop, White can steer the game into a Ruy Lopez, a Four Knights, or even a Vienna-type position with f2–f4.
- Center Control vs. Counter-punch. Both sides have symmetrical pawn centers. Black often tries to undermine e4 with …f7–f5 or …d7–d5.
- Pawns Over Pieces. Because three minor pieces are already developed, pawn breaks (d2–d4, f2–f4, …f7–f5) quickly assume critical importance.
Historical Significance
The opening was popular in the 19th century when symmetrical development was fashionable. Wilhelm Steinitz, Adolf Anderssen, and Henry Bird all tried it with both colors. In modern games it is mostly employed as a surprise weapon or as a transpositional tool in rapid and blitz.
Illustrative Miniature
This romantic 1880s skirmish (Bird – Winawer, casual) showcases 3…f5!? and the tactical fireworks typical of the era.
Interesting Facts
- The Three Knights can transpose to the Three Knights French (1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3) by move order trickery—evidence of its transpositional richness.
- Some databases list over 25 independent ECO sub-lines after 3…f5 alone, despite the opening’s rarity at elite level.
- In internet blitz, grandmasters sometimes use 3.Nc3 to avoid well-analysed Berlin or Marshall Ruy Lopez theory while still keeping options open.
Steinitz Defense (in the Ruy Lopez)
Definition
The Steinitz Defense is a classical reply to the Ruy Lopez, beginning 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6. Black protects the e5-pawn immediately, inviting a slower, maneuvering battle. The line is coded C62–C66 in ECO and is named after the first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz.
Move-Order Variations
- Steinitz Defense Proper: 3…d6 (the original line).
- Steinitz Deferred (or Improved): 3…a6 4. Ba4 d6, avoiding certain gambits with Bxc6+.
- Steinitz Smyslov Variation: 3…d6 4. d4 Bd7, championed by Vassily Smyslov.
Strategic Ideas
- Solid but Passive. Black’s pawn chain e5–d6 resembles a closed Italian game. The bishops are temporarily hemmed in, but the center is rock-solid.
- Counter-thrust …f7–f5. Steinitz often aimed for …f5 to seize kingside space and unshackle the dark-squared bishop.
- Piece Maneuvers. Both sides conduct elaborate knight tours: Nb1–d2–f1–g3 for White and Ng8–e7–g6 or Nf6–d7–f8–g6 for Black.
- Delayed Commitment. Because Black holds back …Nf6, White cannot employ the early d2–d4 fork trick as in the Morphy Defense.
Historical & Modern Practice
Wilhelm Steinitz introduced the move in the 1870s, using it against rivals such as Johannes Zukertort. Critics derided the line as overly passive, but Steinitz’s defensive technique often vindicated his choice.
The defense fell out of top-level favor in the hyper-modern era but experienced a renaissance when Viktor Korchnoi and later Vassily Smyslov rehabilitated it in the 1960s–1970s. In contemporary chess it remains a specialty weapon, common in correspondence and engine-assisted play where its deep positional subtleties can be mined.
Famous Example Game
Smyslov – Keres, Candidates Tournament Zürich 1953. Smyslov demonstrates how to pry open Black’s defenses by timely central breaks and exchanges.
Interesting Facts
- Steinitz used the defense in the first official World Championship match (Steinitz – Zukertort, 1886), scoring +2 with it.
- Because the position after 3…d6 can also arise from the Philidor Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5), theorists sometimes label Steinitz’s line a “Ruy-flavored Philidor.”
- Despite its reputation for solidity, modern engines often give White a half-pawn edge—yet practical results for Black are quite respectable due to the line’s strategic opacity.