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When playing with the Black pieces, every now and then, you’ll face against the Four Knights Game, Italian Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4). Down this line, there is a specific aggressive move available to Black to know; (4… Nxe4)!

Although this almost looks like a gambit, the correct line for White is not obvious and my experience is that the unprepared opponent will almost always make a mistake! After White captures our knight (5. Nxe4), Black now has the powerful (5… d5), a pawn fork of White’s knight and bishop!

Most of the time, White will presume that they’ll need to capture the d-pawn with their bishop, a mistake, and Black will have the opportunity to capture back with the queen with development (6. Bxd5 Qxd5). And on the end of move 6, the evaluation is [-1.4] and according to the Lichess community database of lower-rated games of blitz and rapid, Black has a commanding win ratio advantage of 59% (Black) vs 36% (White)!

White doesn’t play the most accurately from this point onwards, but it’s a difficult position to play. Black had a development advantage as White had to move their knights several times in the opening. This allowed a rapid attack on White’s king while still in the centre. White’s careless weakening of their dark squares (11. b3) resulted in a loss of their queen.

By the “middle” of the middlegame, the winning attack was clear! I managed to infiltrate with my queen (20… Qe2+) down the open e-file. With three attackers (queen, rook, and bishop) a mating net was being woven! On move 24, I found a brilliant move with a rook sacrifice! This forced White to trade away their knight, the second last defenders around White’s king, which then allowed a forced win of the king’s rook, their last guard! Move 28, mate! GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to be aware of the opening attack pattern available to Black in the Four Knights Italian! In this game, White never recovered pretty much from move 4!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/90127134117

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.10.04"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Fuyinuo719"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C47"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Four-Knights-Game-Italian-Variation-4...Nxe4-5.Nxe4-d5"]
[UTCDate "2023.10.04"]
[UTCTime "02:54:22"]
[WhiteElo "1258"]
[BlackElo "1331"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "02:54:22"]
[EndDate "2023.10.04"]
[EndTime "03:10:29"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/90127134117"]
[WhiteUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[WhiteCountry "33"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:09.9]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:15:08.6]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:18.1]}
2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:14.8]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:25.9]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk
0:15:21.4]} 4. Bc4 {[%clk 0:15:34] Four Knights Game, Italian [0.00]. This is
equal.} 4... Nxe4 {[%clk 0:15:28.6][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false] Move to know for
Black $1} 5. Nxe4 {[%clk 0:15:25.6]} 5... d5 {[%clk 0:15:37.2][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] And the pawn fork $1
Black has a psychological advantage but it's technically equal.} 6. Bxd5 $2 {[%clk
0:15:34.1][%c_arrow
c4d3;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This seemingly necessarily
\"desperado\" is a mistake [-1.4]} 6... Qxd5 {[%clk 0:15:45.7]} 7. Ng3 $2 {[%clk
0:15:42][%c_arrow
d2d3;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false][%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A mistake [-2.7], but it's difficult
for White to play} 7... Bg4 {[%clk 0:15:12.6]} 8. d3 $2 {[%clk
0:15:37.4][%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2h3;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false] A mistake [-4.7]}
8... O-O-O $6 {[%clk 0:15:19.9][%c_effect
c8;square;c8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c6d4;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false] An inaccuracy [-1.9].
Placing pressure on the pinned piece immediately is better.} 9. Be3 $2 {[%clk
0:15:43.6][%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2h3;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false] A mistake [-3.9]}
9... Nd4 $2 {[%clk 0:15:22.3][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f7f5;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;f5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f5;persistent;false] This was inaccurate
[-1.8]} 10. Bxd4 {[%clk 0:15:42.5]} 10... exd4 {[%clk 0:15:30.6]} 11. b3 $2 {[%clk
0:15:13.4][%c_effect b3;square;b3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2h3;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false] This weakens the dark
squares [-3.2]} 11... Bb4+ {[%clk 0:15:32.1]} 12. Kf1 {[%clk 0:15:01.5]} 12...
Rhe8 {[%clk 0:15:12.2] Setting up a fork to win the queen $1} 13. a3 $6 {[%clk
0:14:12.2][%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2h3;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false] An inaccuracy [-4.2]}
13... Re1+ {[%clk 0:15:18.9][%c_arrow
e1f1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false,e1d1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false,g4d1;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false]
White loses their queen $1} 14. Qxe1 {[%clk 0:14:19.9]} 14... Bxe1 {[%clk
0:15:25.6]} 15. Nxe1 {[%clk 0:14:27.1]} 15... Bd7 {[%clk 0:15:14.1]} 16. b4
{[%clk 0:14:18]} 16... Bc6 {[%clk 0:15:21.6] Battery - potential mate threat}
17. f3 $6 {[%clk 0:13:59.8][%c_arrow
h2h4;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h4;persistent;false][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Complicated and difficult position
for White [-5.4]} 17... g6 {[%clk 0:15:22.1]} 18. Ne4 {[%clk 0:14:03.9]} 18...
Qe5 {[%clk 0:15:13.2]} 19. Nd2 {[%clk 0:13:57]} 19... Re8 {[%clk 0:15:09]} 20.
Nc4 {[%clk 0:14:00]} 20... Qe2+ {[%clk 0:15:15.7] Queen infiltrates [-6.8]} 21.
Kg1 {[%clk 0:13:51.5]} 21... b5 {[%clk 0:14:43] This forces the knight to the
edge of the board} 22. Na5 {[%clk 0:13:51.5]} 22... Bd5 {[%clk 0:13:13.8]} 23.
g3 $4 {[%clk 0:13:32.7][%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2h4;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;h4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h4;persistent;false] This critically
weakens the defence of the white king [-6.8 $37 -M7]} 23... Re3 {[%clk 0:12:41.5]}
24. h4 {[%clk 0:12:47.2]} 24... Rxf3 $3 {[%clk 0:12:48.8][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] Brilliant move $1 Rook sacrifice $1}
25. Nxf3 {[%clk 0:12:37.7]} 25... Qxf3 {[%clk 0:12:35.8]} 26. Rh2 {[%clk
0:10:37]} 26... Qxg3+ {[%clk 0:12:41.6]} 27. Kf1 {[%clk 0:10:37.2]} 27... Qxh2
{[%clk 0:12:50.7]} 28. Re1 {[%clk 0:10:37.1]} 28... Qg2# {[%clk
0:12:50.7][%c_effect c8;square;c8;type;Winner,f1;square;f1;type;CheckmateWhite]
GG $1} 0-1