Chess lessons › Chess openings
The Scotch Game and the Four Knights
Open the centre at once with the Scotch, or develop four knights and keep it simple.
The idea
The Scotch opens the centre at once; the Four Knights keeps it simple.
- White’s pawn on d4 attacks e5 at once.
- If Black takes it, the knight takes back on d4.
- There the knight stands in the centre and attacks c6.
In a game: Take back on d4 with the knight, never the queen: the knight on c6 attacks d4.
How the lesson begins
In the Scotch Game White opens the centre at once: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4. The pawn attacks e5. White is happy to trade it for Black’s e-pawn, because the knight that recaptures lands on a fine central square.
It is a fairly popular choice at club level. Among players rated 1200 to 1599 on Lichess, White played 3.d4 in 20% of the games that reached move 3.
- 3... exd4 Black takes the pawn.
- 4. Nxd4 White takes back. The knight on d4 attacks the knight on c6.
Find the move
White to move. Black has taken on d4. Take the pawn back.
A hint
The knight on c6 attacks d4, so do not recapture with the queen.
Show the answer
4. Nxd4
Nxd4 puts a knight on a strong central square, where it attacks the knight on c6. Qxd4? would lose the queen for a knight, because the black knight on c6 attacks d4.
In numbers
How often it is played
| Rating | Value |
|---|---|
| Under 800 | 8.6 |
| 800 to 1199 | 23 |
| 1200 to 1599 | 28 |
| 1600 to 1999 | 20 |
| 2000 and up | 9.8 |
How the games ended
White won 53%, 4% were drawn and Black won 43%, over 40,450 games that start this way, in a sample of rated Lichess games from 2026.