Chessy
The Two Knights Defense: Nc3 — A Rock-Solid Choice for Black
The Two Knights Defense has been a favourite of fighting players for centuries. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6, White has to choose between the famous sharp lines with Ng5 or a quieter, more positional approach. Here we look at 4.Nc3 — a solid developing move that transposes into a form of the Italian Game. As Black, you respond with 4...Bc5, and you can be very pleased with what follows. Out of over 16 million games from this exact position, Black scores an impressive 47.6%, against 48.1% for White. The engine evaluates the position at +0.19, which is dead level — neither side has an edge. You are perfectly fine here, and the fight is only just beginning.
Play the Two Knights Defense: Nc3 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to test your Black setup against a real opponent? Play the interactive drill below — the engine adapts to your level as you practise the Two Knights with
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For
After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5, both sides have developed two pieces and are eyeing the centre. As Black, you have equal space, your kingside bishop is actively posted on c5, and your knight on f6 attacks e4. There are no weaknesses in your camp. White's main challenge is finding a plan that doesn't allow you to equalise comfortably. You are not under pressure — you are simply playing a normal opening fight where the better understanding of the position will decide the game.
The Most Popular Replies — and How to Handle Them
The database of over 16 million games reveals White's most common choices from this position. By far the most popular is d3 (7.3 million games), which scores a modest 50.1% for White. Your best response is to continue developing naturally: likely O-O, centralising your rooks, or maybe preparing ...d5 later. The second most-played move is O-O itself (4.5 million games), and here White scores even lower at just 46.7% — meaning you actually outscore White from here. After O-O O-O, the engine's suggested continuation is d3 h6, a solid Italian-style setup. Other moves like h3 and a3 are also seen but don't trouble Black; you can reply with standard developing moves and be comfortable.
Two Traps White Can Fall Into
Two of White's more aggressive tries actually backfire badly. Ng5 (1.6 million games) is a popular attempt to imitate the sharp knight sortie from the main Two Knights lines, but here it's an inaccuracy that loses around 0.9 pawns — the engine firmly prefers d3 instead. White's score with Ng5 drops to 44.5%, well below average. Even worse is d4 (245,000 games), which is a straight mistake costing about 1.0 pawns, and White scores a dismal 41.4%. If your opponent plays either of these, you should be alert: your position suddenly improves, and you can look for ways to punish White's premature aggression.
What the Statistics Reveal
Across 16,329,142 games from this exact position, the results are remarkably balanced: White wins 48.1%, Black wins 47.6%, and only 4.3% end in a draw. The tiny gap of half a percentage point is essentially noise at the club level. Compare this to many other openings where White scores noticeably higher — the Two Knights with Nc3 is a genuine equaliser. The high win rate for both sides (and very low draw rate) also tells you this is a fighting position. Games rarely fizzle out into dull endings; you'll have winning chances in practically every game.
Results across 16,329,142 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d3 | 7,299,488 | 50.1% |
| O-O | 4,463,348 | 46.7% |
| Ng5 | 1,628,668 | 44.5% |
| h3 | 1,305,307 | 50.6% |
| a3 | 581,746 | 48.8% |
| d4 | 245,316 | 41.4% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Two Knights Defense: Nc3 a good opening for beginners?
Yes, it's an excellent choice. The position after 4...Bc5 is solid and easy to understand. You develop naturally, control the centre, and there are no tricky forced lines to memorise. The statistics show you score almost as well as White, so it's very forgiving.
What is the best move for Black against 4.Nc3?
The best move is 4...Bc5, developing the bishop to an active diagonal. This is the standard and most principled reply. It leads to a balanced position where both sides have equal chances, supported by the data: Black scores 47.6% from here.
What should I do if White plays Ng5 on move 5?
Be happy — the engine considers Ng5 an inaccuracy that costs White roughly 0.9 pawns, and White scores just 44.5% after it. You can look to exploit the knight's aggression, possibly with ...d5 or ...Nxe4 tactics. Just stay alert: White's knight is on g5 aiming at f7, but your position is sound.
How can I win the Two Knights Defense as Black?
You don't need a special trick to win — the position is dead level. Focus on normal opening principles: finish development, castle kingside, fight for the centre with ...d6 and maybe ...d5. With Black scoring 47.6%, your winning chances are almost as high as White's, especially if your opponent makes one of the common mistakes.