The Three Knights Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves
- 1.e4 e5
- 2.Nf3 Nc6
- 3.Nc3
In the Three Knights Game, Black chooses to break symmetry in order to avoid the often drawish Four Knights Game that would result from 3...Nf6. After tries such as 3...d6 or 3...Be7, White can play 4.d4 leaving Black with a cramped position resembling Philidor's Defense. If Black plays 3...Bc5 instead, White can use the fork trick to eliminate Black's king pawn 3...Bc5 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Bd6 6.dxe5 Bxe5. Tournament games have shown that this line seems to favor White, so Black usually plays 3...Bb4 or 3...g6. The game will then typically continue 3...Bb4 4.Nd5 or 3...g6 4.d4.
