Two Knights: Ulvestad Variation
Two Knights: Ulvestad Variation
Definition
The Ulvestad Variation is an ambitious pawn-sacrifice line in the Two Knights Defense, reached after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5!?
Black immediately strikes on the queenside, offering a pawn (and sometimes more) to seize the initiative and
lure White’s bishop offside. The code in ECO is C57.
Typical Continuations
- 6. Bxb5+ Qd7! (or 6… Qxd5) — Black regains material in dynamic fashion.
- 6. Bf1 (declining the pawn) Nxd5 7. d4 Nxd4! — another sharp pawn grab by Black.
- 6. dxc6 bxc4 7. Nc3 (the Fritz–Ulvestad hybrid) — play becomes wildly tactical, with opposite-side castling common.
Strategic Ideas
• Speed over Structure: Black values rapid piece activity and open lines more than pawn
security.
• Queenside Counterplay: …b5 drives the c4-bishop to b5, letting Black chase it again with …a6
and develop the Ra8 with tempo.
• King Safety: Both sides often keep kings in the center for several moves; accurate calculation
is essential.
• Piece Coordination: Knights and bishops flood the board quickly; a single tempo often decides
the battle.
Historical Note
The line is named after Olaf Ulvestad, a U.S. master from Seattle who analyzed and championed the pawn thrust in the early 1940s. His articles in Chess Review (1941-42) popularized the idea, which was later refined by theoreticians such as Kenneth Rogoff and Lev Gutman.
Sample Game
The variation is rare at super-GM level, but sharp practitioners occasionally unleash it to surprise an opponent. One instructive example is the attacking miniature below:
[[Pgn| e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 b5 Bxb5+ Qd7 Bxc6 Qxc6 dxc6 Qxg2 Qf3 Qxg5 Nc3 Qg6 Nb5 Bg4 Nxc7+ Kd8 Qc3 Qe4+ Kf1 Qxh1#]]Key Tactical Motifs
- ...b5 & ...a6 fork: Kicking the bishop twice can win valuable tempi.
- Central king hunts: Lines with 0-0-0 by either side often lead to mating nets on f2 or f7.
- Loose pieces drop off (LPDO): The e4- and c2-squares frequently become tactical targets.
Pros & Cons
- Pros: Surprise weapon; unbalances the game; forces White to know theory; rich attacking chances.
- Cons: Objectively risky; requires precise play; a well-prepared White can steer into calmer waters while remaining a pawn up.
Interesting Facts
- In correspondence chess, the line scores surprisingly well for Black, hinting that computers value the initiative highly.
- The Ulvestad can transpose back into the Fritz Variation (5… Na5) if Black plays …Na5 later, so many opening books study the two lines together.
- Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura used the Ulvestad in bullet chess on stream, calling it “objectively dubious but practically dangerous.”
When to Use It
Choose the Ulvestad when you:
- Need a win as Black and want to avoid the well-trodden 5… exd5 or 5… Na5 main lines.
- Are comfortable calculating sharp, open positions with material imbalances.
- Suspect your opponent relies on memorized theory rather than over-the-board creativity.
Further Study
• Analyze modern engine lines beginning with 6. dxc6 bxc4 7. Nc3.
• Review annotated games by Lev Gutman and Alexei Shirov, who have dabbled with the Ulvestad in rapid events.
• Practice tactical puzzles featuring the motifs “double attack on f2/f7” and “bishop traps after …b5 and …a6.”