How to Spot the Four Knights Opening in a Chess Game

Video Transcript

"The next opening is the Four Knights game, and this is a popular opening. It's a good solid opening. It gives both sides good possibilities. What is interesting about it is the symmetry of the development of the two sides. Basically, because they're both paying both playing the best possible developing moves. So, it goes like this; pawn; king's pawn's out, as usual; knight to king's bishop three; knight to queen's bishop three. And this is what makes it the four knights’ game. The queen's bishop's knight is developed, and blacks best response; although it has other responses, is probably this. Number of ways that white can go from here. This is the most common, is to attack the knight, on knight on bishop's three. The symmetry continues; black attacks the white knight. Usually, at this level it's best to, and as you get better you'll notice to castle as quickly as possible; get the king out of the way. Black follows suit; castles again on the king side. Let's show you a couple more moves. The usual next move is this, and black still continues the symmetry, and now white would play this; attacking the other knight. And at this point, really the symmetry probably ends, and black has to come up with some other variation. But that is the sort of essence of the Four Knights game."