Chessy
Italian: Four Knights: Nxe4 — Playing White in a Tricky Tangle
You've played solid Italian Game development, and now Black yanks a pawn with 4...Nxe4 — a sharp grab that's been tested nearly two million times in online games. After you recapture with 5.Nxe4, the position is tense and Black already needs to find the right reply. The engine evaluates this as -0.27, a tiny edge for Black, so you face an uphill fight — but with accurate play you can make Black's life difficult. The statistics tell a sobering story: White wins only 36.5% of games from here, while Black wins 59.5%. This lesson equips you with the engine's top answer and shows you how to punish the most common mistakes Black makes.
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Create a free account →The Critical Moment: Black's 5th Move
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Nxe4, Black has the move. The engine's best continuation is 5...d5 — the only way to keep the position balanced. From there the line continues: 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4, and you reach a simplified middlegame with opposite-coloured bishops and no queens. You'll have less space but a healthy pawn structure and active bishop. Your goal is to target Black's slightly loose kingside and look for subtle pressure. Anything other than 5...d5 gives you a clear edge — and in some cases a outright winning advantage.
The Only Good Move for Black — and How You Handle It
When Black plays 5...d5, the game enters a well-trodden path. 6.Bd3 is the consistent follow-up: you retreat your attacked bishop while eyeing Black's e4-knight (after ...dxe4). After 6...dxe4 7.Bxe4, you've regained the pawn. The position is roughly equal but imbalanced — your bishop stands on e4, Black's knight might go to e7 or f6, and both sides have chances. Your practical plan: castle kingside quickly, develop your light-squared bishop's fianchetto or play d3, and keep an eye on Black's h7-pawn if they castle short. Don't rush; the simplifications have made the game more strategic than tactical.
Punish Black's Blunders
The database shows that hundreds of thousands of Black players go wrong here. Three specific moves are outright blunders you must know how to exploit: - 5...d6 (loses ~3.4 pawns): This passive move blocks Black's own bishop and wastes a tempo. You can push d4 to seize the centre, or simply develop with 0-0 and d4, keeping a huge space advantage and a lead in development. - 5...Nd4 (loses ~4.3 pawns): A flashy knight jump that accomplishes nothing. Simply kick it with c3 and Black's knight will have to retreat, wasting time while you build a crushing centre with d4. - 5...f5 (loses ~3.2 pawns): This weakens Black's kingside horribly. You can play d4 immediately, opening lines while Black's king is stuck in the centre. The pawn on f5 becomes a target. Each of these mistakes hands you a clear advantage — in practice, White scores over 67% after any of them, compared to just 36% after the correct 5...d5.
What the Statistics Reveal About Your Chances
Across nearly 2 million games, the results paint a realistic picture. After the critical 5...d5, White scores only 36.2% — so the position is tough. But look at what happens when Black blunders: - After 5...d6: White scores 67.9% - After 5...Nd4: White scores 74.3% - After 5...f5: White scores 70.6% - After 5...Bc5: White scores 81.1% - After 5...Bb4: White scores 82.8% Those last two (5...Bc5 and 5...Bb4) aren't flagged as mistakes in the data, but in practice Black struggles mightily. If your opponent plays anything other than 5...d5, you're a heavy favourite. Even when they find the best move, the position is playable for you — it just requires patience and good positional instincts.
Results across 1,996,273 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d5 | 1,982,534 | 36.2% |
| d6 | 2,998 | 67.9% |
| Nd4 | 2,707 | 74.3% |
| f5 | 1,875 | 70.6% |
| Bc5 | 1,346 | 81.1% |
| Bb4 | 979 | 82.8% |
Frequently asked questions
Is 4...Nxe4 a good move for Black in the Italian Four Knights?
It's a legitimate but risky attempt. The engine gives a slight edge to Black (-0.27), but only if Black finds the accurate reply 5...d5. In practice, most club players misplay it, and White's winning percentage jumps dramatically when Black chooses anything else.
What is the best response to Black's 4...Nxe4?
You should recapture with 5.Nxe4. Then, when Black plays the best move 5...d5, follow up with 6.Bd3 and meet ...dxe4 with 7.Bxe4. This regains the pawn and leads to a simplified, balanced position where you have active piece play.
How should I play against 5...d6 or 5...f5 from Black?
Both are mistakes that you can punish. Against 5...d6, seize the centre with d4. Against 5...f5, also play d4 immediately — Black's kingside is weakened, and you'll open lines while their king is vulnerable. In both cases you gain a clear advantage.
What is the winning percentage for White after 5.Nxe4?
White wins 36.5% of games overall from this position, with 4.0% draws and Black winning 59.5%. However, if Black plays anything except the best move 5...d5, White's winning percentage jumps well above 67%.