- ECO code
- C47
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4
- Family
- Four Knights Game
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 347
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1857–2026
Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C47, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4. It belongs to the Four Knights Game family and is known as the Scotch Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 347 games on this line — the 277th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1857 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 199 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 20% of those games, 61% end in a draw, and Black wins 19%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 9 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 26 points.
From this position the most popular move is 4...exd4, played in 329 games, followed by 4...Bb4 (17) and 4...d6 (1). 4...exd4 leads into Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation Accepted. After 4...exd4 White scores 18% and Black 18%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Paravyan,D (19 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (27).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation Accepted.
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Results in master games
- White 20% (68)
- Draws 61% (213)
- Black 19% (66)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...exd4 | 329 | 18/64/18 | Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation Accepted |
| 4...Bb4 | 17 | 53/12/35 | — |
| 4...d6 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Accepted · 4...exd4 · 329 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
- King's Knight Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 · 21,895 games
- King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 · 19,295 games
- Three Knights Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 · 1,180 games
- Four Knights Game · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 · 1,058 games
Played most often by
As White
- Paravyan,D 19
- Karjakin,Sergey 17
- Carlsen,M 16
As Black
- Caruana,F 27
- Mamedyarov,S 23
- Aronian,L 22
Games per decade
- 1850s 1
- 1900s 1
- 1910s 3
- 1920s 11
- 1930s 2
- 1940s 5
- 1950s 10
- 1960s 3
- 1970s 2
- 1980s 3
- 1990s 14
- 2000s 13
- 2010s 80
- 2020s 199
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsen,M | Lazavik,Denis | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 20th Jan 2026 |
| Andreikin,D | Carlsen,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 |
| Paravyan,D | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Lazavik,Denis | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Popov,Tikhon | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Liang,Awonder | Aronian,L | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | American Cup Champ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C47, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4. It belongs to the Four Knights Game family.
Is the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation good for White or for Black?
In 347 master games on this line White wins 20%, 61% are drawn and Black wins 19%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation?
4...exd4 — played in 329 of the master games on this line, which leads into Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation Accepted.
Which grandmasters play the Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation?
On the White side Paravyan,D (19), Karjakin,Sergey (17), Carlsen,M (16); on the Black side Caruana,F (27), Mamedyarov,S (23), Aronian,L (22).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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