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The Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4) is a pretty good opening for White. I had the Black pieces in this game and played against it, and this was a reasonable example of an approach you can try against an aggressive opening that you aren’t familiar with.

The Four Knights Scotch is king of like a slightly slower and more solid version of the Scotch Game, as clearly, both sides have their knights in the usual squares. And so, after trading pawns in the centre in the usual Scotch way (4… exd4 5. Nxd4), I immediately developed my king’s bishop to the usual square (5… Bc5), immediately putting pressure on White’s d4-knight, and having potential vision on White’s weak f-pawn. White naturally shored up the defence of the knight with (6. Be3) – that make sense.

At this point, I decided to immediately start trading things off. Simply, my logic is that the more complicated the tension is in the board, the less favourable it is for me as I don’t have much experience in the line. I reasoned that even if this approach isn’t the most accurate according to the engine, it wasn’t like to be much worse, and defusing White’s immediate attack to enter a mostly balanced middlegame should be achievable.

We trade away one set of knights (6… Nxd4 7. Bxd4), and then, White, who may have similarly been unfamiliar with the position, was sucked into my flow and initiated trading one of their bishops (and hence the bishop pair) for my other knight (8. Bxf6 Qxf6). For White, this was a mistake as they lost the initiative the trade sequence was advantageous for me as it ended with Black developing the queen [+1 → -0.5].

In the game, I had a sense that I was now ahead in the exchange, so I decided to capitalise on this and immediately used the opportunity to liquidate White’s remaining developed pieces (9… Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 11. bxc3 O-O).

I castled first, and we entered the middlegame in exactly the way I wanted! White had the slightest of advantage in development but had a damaged pawn structure. Stockfish gave the evaluation at [-1] and thus concurred that I was ahead.

By move 17, the bishops had also been traded away, and we entered a rook and pawn endgame. Stockfish believed that it was a draw, but the pawn structure made it easier to play for Black. This meant that I was able to capture the initiative more quickly, in the context that neither my opponent and I played the most accurately – rook and pawn endgames are tricky! I was the first to create a powerful tactical attack – both my rooks infiltrated White’s second rank, and this gave me the edge. Stockfish could probably defend the position equally but for humans, mostly equal evaluations can hide significant asymmetry in terms of the difficulty to play!

On move 24, White cracked under pressure, possibly moving too quick and played (24. Rc1??). This was quite possibly a mouseslip as it hung the rook (24… Rxc1+). Regardless, White opted to resign as the position was now impossible. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is that sometimes, an approach against an unfamiliar attack in the opening is to undermine it by trading away the attackers, even if it’s likely to be slightly disadvantageous. Often, you can make up for it in the middlegame!

Game: https://www.chess.com/game/live/98665576815

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.01.10"]
[Round "-"]
[White "brtmojo"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[CurrentPosition "8/1p3ppk/3p3p/8/5P1P/2P3R1/4r1P1/2r3K1 w - -"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C47"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Four-Knights-Game-Scotch-Variation-Accepted-5.Nxd4-Bc5-6.Be3"]
[UTCDate "2024.01.10"]
[UTCTime "22:45:43"]
[WhiteElo "1315"]
[BlackElo "1285"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "22:45:43"]
[EndDate "2024.01.10"]
[EndTime "22:55:37"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/98665576815"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/285262227.30b7166c.50x50o.5cc998bb6a1f.jpg"]
[WhiteCountry "2"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:10]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:15:03.2]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:17.3]} 2...
Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:08.6]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:25.4]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:16.3]} 4.
d4 {[%clk 0:15:33.4] Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation - let's go $1 [+0.1]}
4... exd4 {[%clk 0:15:23.7]} 5. Nxd4 {[%clk 0:15:42]} 5... Bc5 {[%clk
0:15:11.2]} 6. Be3 {[%clk 0:15:49.6]} 6... Nxd4 {[%clk 0:14:36.8][%c_arrow
c5b6;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;b6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b6;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;b6;persistent;false] This is a bit
inaccurate [+0.6]. My thinking was that I would prefer to remove some of the
complications in an opening that was probably not favourable for me.  Stockfish
thinks that Bb6 and maintaining the tension is better.} 7. Bxd4 {[%clk
0:15:54.4]} 7... Bb4 {[%clk 0:14:37.7][%c_arrow
d8e7;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false] This is fine, but
developing another piece and taking control of the semi-open e-file is more
accurate [+1].} 8. Bxf6 $2 {[%clk 0:15:10.3][%c_effect
f6;square;f6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d1d3;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false,e4e5;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false,e5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false]
White was possibly unfamiliar with the position as well and also opted to just
trade down. This was a mistake [+1 $37 -0.5] as White loses their initiative,
while helping Black develop.} 8... Qxf6 {[%clk 0:14:40.5]} 9. Qd3 {[%clk
0:15:06.4]} 9... Bxc3+ {[%clk 0:14:18.6] And here, my goal was to simply
liquidate the opening pieces to nerf any hope of White's advantage} 10. Qxc3
{[%clk 0:15:11.2]} 10... Qxc3+ {[%clk 0:14:26.8]} 11. bxc3 {[%clk 0:15:19.8]}
11... O-O {[%clk 0:14:34.4] And we enter a middlegame where White has the
slightest of advantage in development, but with a damaged pawn structure} 12. f4
{[%clk 0:15:23.3]} 12... d6 {[%clk 0:14:41.6]} 13. Bd3 {[%clk 0:15:26.2]} 13...
Re8 {[%clk 0:14:28.4]} 14. O-O {[%clk 0:15:32.2]} 14... a6 {[%clk 0:14:17.8]}
15. Rae1 {[%clk 0:15:33.4]} 15... Bd7 {[%clk 0:14:25.2]} 16. e5 $6 {[%clk
0:15:33.5][%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] This is an
inaccuracy [-1] as Black can capture dxe5, and this forces White to damage their
pawn structure further (they'll end up with an isolated e-pawn at the end
trades).} 16... Bb5 $6 {[%clk 0:14:13.9][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d6e5;keyPressed;none;from;d6;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] But I didn't
recognise the tactic in the game [0.00]} 17. Bxb5 {[%clk 0:15:33.1]} 17... axb5
{[%clk 0:14:22.4]} 18. Rb1 {[%clk 0:15:30.5]} 18... Rxa2 $6 {[%clk
0:13:53.8][%c_effect a2;square;a2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d6e5;keyPressed;none;from;d6;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] Rooks on the 7th and
2nd ranks are strong $1 However, dxe5 for the same reason as before is best
[-0.1].} 19. Rxb5 {[%clk 0:15:39]} 19... Rxc2 {[%clk 0:13:37.5]} 20. exd6 $6
{[%clk 0:15:32.5][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
b5b7;keyPressed;none;from;b5;opacity;0.8;to;b7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b7;persistent;false] This is a tactical
mistake [-1.3] as it yields the e-file to Black's e8-rook $1} 20... Ree2 $6 {[%clk
0:13:20.8][%c_effect e2;square;e2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c7d6;keyPressed;none;from;c7;opacity;0.8;to;d6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d6;persistent;false] However, here I
suffered from some tunnel vision as I thought that I had an unstoppable mating
attack with two rooks on the second rank. I'm wrong [0.00] as White can defend
the position.} 21. Rg5 $2 {[%clk 0:15:30.9][%c_effect
g5;square;g5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f1a1;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;a1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a1;persistent;false] However, the correct
move by White is not easy to see $1 Ra1 gives enough room for the White king to
avoid mate, and threatens Black with back rank mate. In turn, this results in a
rook shuffle and a draw. By defending the g2-pawn with Rg5, this gives Black an
immediate target [-1.5].} 21... cxd6 {[%clk 0:13:06.8]} 22. h4 $2 {[%clk
0:15:24.3][%c_arrow
f1d1;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false,f1a1;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;a1;persistent;false,g5g3;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;g3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false,a1;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;a1;persistent;false,g3;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Rook and pawn endgames can be
complicated. This is a mistake [-3].} 22... h6 $2 {[%clk 0:13:06.2][%c_arrow
c2c3;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false][%c_effect
h6;square;h6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Not the most accurate [-1.8]. Rxc3
first is better.} 23. Rg3 {[%clk 0:15:29.8]} 23... Kh7 $6 {[%clk
0:12:38.6][%c_arrow
b7b5;keyPressed;none;from;b7;opacity;0.8;to;b5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b5;persistent;false][%c_effect
h7;square;h7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Rook and pawn endgames are hard $1}
24. Rc1 $4 {[%clk 0:15:37.5][%c_effect
c1;square;c1;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c1;persistent;false] Super fast move - and
probably a mouseslip...} 24... Rxc1+ {[%clk 0:12:45.7][%c_effect
h7;square;h7;type;Winner,g1;square;g1;type;ResignWhite]} 0-1