Chessy
King's Pawn Game: Napoleon Attack with 3.Bc4 – How to Play as White
The Napoleon Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Qf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) is a cheeky way to start a game. You bring your queen out early and aim your bishop at Black's vulnerable f7 square. The engine calls this position dead level at -0.09, so you haven't hurt yourself — but you haven't gained anything yet either. With White you score a modest 48.0% across nearly six million games. The key question is how Black responds. A few natural-looking moves are actually mistakes, and knowing which ones to punish can turn this equal start into a practical advantage. Dive into the drill below and see if you can handle whatever Black throws at you.
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Create a free account →What You're Fighting For: The Early Queen Sortie
Bringing your queen out on move two is unusual, but the Napoleon Attack has a concrete idea: point your bishop at f7 and keep an eye on the e5 pawn. After 2.Qf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, Black has a wide choice of replies, and the statistics reveal a fascinating split. The most popular move, Nf6 (played in over four million games), scores a solid 45.6% for White — respectable for such an early queen excursion. But several other moves actually work against Black. Your task is to know which continuations give you a real chance and which ones demand caution. The engine and the database together tell a clear story: this opening rewards accurate play from both sides, but Black slips more often than you might expect.
The Engine's Recommendation: 4.Nf6 and What Follows
Stockfish's best move for Black in this position is Nf6, developing a piece and attacking your queen. The suggested continuation runs Nf6 Ne2 Na5 d3. After 4.Ne2 your queen retreats, and Black immediately challenges your bishop with 4...Na5. You meet this with 5.d3, freeing your dark-squared bishop and preparing to move the light-squared bishop if it gets harassed further. The position stays roughly equal — the engine's -0.09 evaluation holds — but you've developed naturally while Black has spent two moves with the same knight. That's a small concession you can exploit if you play patiently. Remember: this is a fighting draw, not a forced win, but your pieces come to life quickly if Black misplays.
The Statistics: Which Moves to Hope For
The Lichess database of 5,971,320 games reveals huge swings in White's winning chances depending on Black's third move. Here are the most-played replies and how White scores against each: Nf6 (4,185,977 games, White wins 45.6%), Qf6 (775,927 games, 42.5%), f6 (279,703 games, 53.2%), Qe7 (219,552 games, 48.0%), Nh6 (187,606 games, 56.2%), and Bc5 (81,766 games, 92.8%). That last number is striking — if Black plays 3...Bc5, you score over 92%. But be careful: that's partly because 3...Bc5 is so rare that the sample includes many weaker players. Still, it's a move worth knowing about. The takeaway is clear: you have decent chances against almost everything, and against some moves your win rate cracks 50%.
Three Mistakes Black Often Makes (and How to Punish Them)
The FACTS identify three inaccuracies Black can commit here, each costing roughly half a pawn or more. Knowing these will improve your practical results. 3...f6 is an inaccuracy (loses about 0.9 pawns; better was Qf6). This move weakens the kingside and does nothing to develop — you can follow up with natural development like Ne2, Nc3, or d3 and enjoy a comfortable edge. 3...Qe7 is also an inaccuracy (loses about 0.6 pawns; better was Qf6). It blocks Black's kingside bishop and wastes a tempo. Develop your knights, castle quickly, and you'll have a pleasant game. 3...Nh6 is an inaccuracy (loses about 0.7 pawns; better was Qf6). This puts the knight on a poor square and doesn't challenge your queen. Continue with d3 and Ne2, and Black will struggle to coordinate. Against each of these, the engine prefers Qf6 — which would directly attack your queen — so when Black misses that, you gain a tangible advantage.
Results across 5,971,320 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 4,185,977 | 45.6% |
| Qf6 | 775,927 | 42.5% |
| f6 | 279,703 | 53.2% |
| Qe7 | 219,552 | 48.0% |
| Nh6 | 187,606 | 56.2% |
| Bc5 | 81,766 | 92.8% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Napoleon Attack a good opening for beginners?
Yes and no. It scores a reasonable 48.0% for White in practice, which is close to average. The downside is you bring your queen out early, which can leave you vulnerable if you don't know the follow-up. But it teaches you to think about king safety and piece coordination.
What is the best move for Black against the Napoleon Attack?
The engine's top reply is Nf6, which develops a piece and attacks your queen. The most popular move in practice is also Nf6, played in over four million games. Against it, you should retreat your queen to e2 and prepare to defend your light-squared bishop.
How can White win quickly in the Napoleon Attack?
There's no forced checkmate, but Black's inaccuracies give you good chances. If Black plays 3...f6, 3...Qe7, or 3...Nh6, you gain a small but real advantage — roughly half a pawn or more. Just develop naturally and you'll be better.
Is 3...Bc5 a good move for Black here?
Statistically it's terrible: White scores 92.8% against it. However, it's very rare (under 82,000 games out of nearly six million), so that number may be inflated by weak opposition. Still, if you see it, develop your pieces and you should win comfortably.