Current position
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Main Line
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
The King's Knight Opening starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 and is catalogued under ECO C40, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 3 lines inside it, grouped into 3 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.
Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.
Develops the king’s knight and attacks Black’s e5-pawn.
Idea: Increase central pressure while getting ready to castle.
Defends e5 while developing the queen’s knight toward the center.
Idea: Hold the central pawn and keep several classical setups available.
Develops the bishop onto an active diagonal aimed at f7.
Idea: Accelerate kingside development and make Black’s weakest early square a target.
Develops the bishop to c5, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Develops the knight to f6, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Repositions the bishop to b4, where it influences a new part of the board, forcing the king to answer a check.
Idea: Improve the piece’s activity and support the next stage of the plan.
Develops the knight to c3, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Captures the pawn on e4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Tucks the king away and activates the rook in a single move.
Idea: Finish kingside development so the central pieces can coordinate safely.
Captures the knight on c3 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the bishop on c3 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the queenside and reshape the center for the next phase.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under King's Knight Opening. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the King's Knight Opening.