Current position
Scotch Game
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 2 playable continuations 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.
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: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Repositions the queen to h4, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Coordinate threats carefully while avoiding unnecessary tempi against the queen.
Repositions the knight to b5, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Improve the piece’s activity and support the next stage of the plan.
Develops the bishop to b4, bringing it into the game, forcing the king to answer a check.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Develops the bishop to d2, 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, forcing the king to answer a check.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Develops the bishop to e2, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Repositions the king to d8, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Improve king safety or step toward a more useful endgame square.
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 bishop on d2 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
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.