Chessy
English Opening: Four Knights (e4) – Playing Black After 4...Bb4
After 1.c4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e4, you pin the knight with 4...Bb4. You've reached a principled, fighting position — the database of over 227,000 games shows Black actually wins 48.4% of the time here, against just 47.2% for White. Stockfish gives +0.15, a tiny plus for White, meaning this is dead level. Your job in this drill is to keep that balance and punish White if they step wrong. Let's see how.
Play the English: Four Knights: e4 against the engine
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The 4...Bb4 pin is your central idea. By pinning the c3-knight to the white king, you slow down White's ideal setup in the centre. White would love to advance d4 or build a big pawn centre, but your bishop on b4 makes that awkward — any ...d5 break from Black can become dangerous. The position is symmetrical in development and very sharp. Neither side has a clear path to an advantage from the start, which is why this line has been played over 227,000 times on Lichess. You're aiming for a rich middlegame where your active pieces and the pin give you counterplay.
The Engine's Blueprint: d3
The engine recommends d3 as White's best move (played in 87,201 games). The idea is solid: White fortifies the e4 pawn and prepares to unpin with a3 or develop the light-squared bishop. A typical continuation is d3 d6 a3 Bxc3+ bxc3. Notice White voluntarily doubles their b-pawns — that's a long-term structural concession you can target later. After the trade on c3, you have the bishop pair and White has a slight space advantage but a compromised queenside pawn structure. Your plan: finish development (0-0, Re8, maybe Bg4) and prepare ...d5 or ...b6 with ...Bb7 to pressure the centre.
Three Ways White Can Go Wrong
The statistics reveal clear pitfalls for White in this position. Here are the most common inaccuracies and one outright mistake you should be ready to punish: - a3 (48,173 games) – The most popular alternative to d3, but it's an inaccuracy that loses about 0.8 pawns. The idea is to ask what you're doing with your bishop, but you can simply retreat ...Ba5 or trade on c3 under favourable circumstances. White's score drops to just 44.3%. - Nd5 (16,076 games) – Another inaccuracy costing about 0.8 pawns. White jumps to d5, but you can kick it with ...Nxe4 or trade (Nxd5 cxd5) and enjoy the open c-file and central presence. White scores only 44.5% here. - d4 (15,117 games) – This is a full mistake, losing about 1.8 pawns. White tries to grab space aggressively, but after ...exd4 Nxd4 Nxe4, you're winning a pawn. White scores just 42.8% from this push. If your opponent plays d4, you have an immediate tactical reward.
When This Opening Suits You
The English: Four Knights with 4...Bb4 is ideal if you enjoy open, tactical positions with clear plans. You don't need to memorise endless theory — the key ideas (keep the pin, trade on c3 at the right moment, target White's weakened queenside pawns, break with ...d5) are enough to guide you through the middlegame. The numbers speak for themselves: Black scores slightly better than White in practice. If your opponent doesn't know the d3 response or plays an inaccuracy, you can seize the advantage quickly. This is a reliable, low-maintenance weapon against 1.c4.
Results across 227,303 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d3 | 87,201 | 52.2% |
| a3 | 48,173 | 44.3% |
| Nd5 | 16,076 | 44.5% |
| d4 | 15,117 | 42.8% |
| Be2 | 13,772 | 45.9% |
| Qc2 | 13,688 | 46.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Is 4...Bb4 a good move for Black in the English Four Knights?
Yes, it's the most principled move. The position is dead equal — Stockfish gives +0.15, a tiny edge for White, but in practice Black wins 48.4% of games, fractionally more than White. It leads to a rich, imbalanced fight.
What should Black do after White plays d3?
d3 is White's best move. You should continue with ...d6, preparing to meet a3 with ...Bxc3+ and recapture with the b-pawn. This gives you the bishop pair against White's doubled c-pawns, a long-term plus.
How can Black punish White's most common mistakes?
If White plays d4, that's a mistake costing about 1.8 pawns — take it with ...exd4, and after Nxd4, Nxe4 wins a pawn. If White plays a3 or Nd5 (both inaccuracies), you can maintain the pin or trade favourably to seize a small advantage.
What is Black's goal in the middlegame after 4...Bb4?
Your main goals are to complete development (0-0, Re8, Bg4 or Be6), keep an eye on the d5 break, and target White's doubled c-pawns if they appear after ...Bxc3. The position is balanced but dynamic, and you can play for a win without much risk.