The TWO KNIGHTS DEFENSE.
It's a bit scary and quite hard to remember, but if you really learn and understand it you can use it to win lots of games.
So hold on tight!
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It's time to look at another opening. The TWO KNIGHTS DEFENSE. It's a bit scary and quite hard to remember, but if you really learn and understand it you can use it to win lots of games. So hold on tight!
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In fact, if you've seen the last lesson you already know the first moves. Get your chess set out NOW and play them through. 1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Ng8-f6 Reaching the position on your left.
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White's Pawn on e4 is threatened, so you need to do something about it. You have several options. Nb1-c3 gives Black the chance for a FORK TRICK so we don't recommend it. d2-d3 is the move to play if you want to try for the DOUBLE FREDDIE attack. But there are two more interesting moves. One is d2-d4. The other, which we look at in this lesson, is Nf3-g5.
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And here we are. Yes, you've just broken one of our opening rules: DON'T MOVE A PIECE TWICE IN THE OPENING. But White has a BIG THREAT. A KNIGHT FORK on f7. It's not so easy for Black to stop it.
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If you were Black here, what would you play?
 Rh8-g8
 Qd8-e7 d7-d5
 h7-h6 
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Yes, there's only ONE way for Black to defend f7. d7-d5 shuts off the White Bishop, sticks a pawn in the center and prepares to develop some more pieces. Can't be bad, can it? What White should do now is play e4xd5 (go on, play it on your board) and Black's obvious reply is Nf6xd5.
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First of all, notice that Black's last move opened up a THREAT of Qd8xg5. White has two strong moves here, though. One is d2-d4. The other, which is more popular in kiddie chess, so we'll look at it in this lesson, is... the SENSATIONAL Ng5xf7!
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Yes, it's a BIG FORK - but Black can just take it? Can't he? This is the famous FRIED LIVER ATTACK. (Or FEGATELLO ATTACK if you're Italian.) Black has no choice but to play Ke8xf7, and White's next move is Qd1-f3+.
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Here's the position - the starting point of the FRIED LIVER ATTACK. How should Black get out of check? If Kf7-g8, White forces CHECKMATE with either Bc4xd5+ or Qf3xd5+. Nd5-f6 is illegal (it's PINNED!) and Qd8-f6 lets White take on d5. So let's take a quick look at Kf7-e8.
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Here's the position. Now White can simply capture the Knight on d5 - Bc4xd5. This leaves White a pawn ahead - and don't forget that Black can no longer castle as he's moved his King. After Bc4xd5 Black often plays Nc6-d4, which looks pretty scary for White.
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What would you suggest now for White? 
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Yes, Qf3-f7 is CHECKMATE! Black should have preferred something like Qd8-f6 instead, to protect both f7 and c6. But White will still have the better position. Now let's go back and find a better defense for Black.
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Returning to this position, we now see that White's move Qd1-f3+ is a FORK. White's CHECKING the Black King and also THREATENING the Black Knight on d5. As Nd5-f6 is illegal Black has to try moving his King up the board: Kf7-e6.
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Here's the position. Black is ahead by a Knight to a Pawn, but his King has taken a journey right into the middle of the board. Who would you rather be in this position? White or Black? How would you continue with White? One word of advice about this position - DON'T capture on d5 unless you're winning a piece. Keep the pieces on and keep the pressure on. White's best move here is Nb1-c3, THREATENING the PINNED Knight.
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He has two choices: Nc6-e7 and (the better option) Nc6-b4. White can continue his attack with moves like Qf3-e4, d2-d4, 0-0, Rf1-e1, f2-f4. Black might be able to survive with best play but it's very difficult. Try it out for yourself and see what happens.
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Let's go back to this position - set it up on your board, please. You remember Black played the obvious move Nf6xd5. That turned out to be pretty dangerous for him - he has several safer options as long as he doesn't mind losing a pawn or two. Let's have a look - first at the most popular move in this position - Nc6-a5.
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But it gains time by threatening the White Bishop. Let's stroll down the main line - play through these moves. Bc4-b5+ c7-c6 d5xc6 b7xc6 Bb5-e2 (probably best)
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Now Black can gain more time by driving back the Knight: ...h7-h6 Ng5-f3 e5-e4 Nf3-e5 Bf8-d6
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Here White can support his advanced Knight with either d2-d4 or f2-f4. In both cases Black can capture EN PASSANT (don't forget the rule!) Black is a pawn down but is getting his pieces out more quickly than White The position is about equal.
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Quickly going back to this position, there are two other moves Black could try. He could move his Knight into the center - Nc6-d4. Or he could try b7-b5. Then if White plays d5xc6 Black will play b5xc4. Or if White plays Bc4xb5, Black will play Qd8xd5, THREATENING the Bishop on b5 and the Pawn on g2. In both cases Black ends up a pawn or two down but with chances of an attack.
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Right, I hope you remember all that. You'd better, because you're about to be tested on it! OK, ready?
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If White wants to try for the FRIED LIVER ATTACK, which move should he play here?
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And what move should Black play in this position?
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What move did we look at for White here?
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Nc6-a5
Nc6-d4 b7-b5
Nf6xd5
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If you don't you'll land into VERY DEEP TROUBLE. Let's check it out!
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Yes
No
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Black can just play Qd8xg5. He will be a Knight ahead as long as he watches out for AMBUSHES from the White d-pawn. At the moment, d2-d4 would be answered by Qg5xg2.
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DON'T PLAY Nf3-g5 IF YOUR OPPONENT CAN CASTLE IN REPLY, UNLESS HE HAS A KNIGHT ON e7 RATHER THAN f6. Don't be afraid of Bc4xf7+ Rf8xf7 Ng5xf7 Kg8xf7 - THIS POSITION FAVORS BLACK. BISHOP AND KNIGHT ARE USUALLY BETTER THAN ROOK AND PAWN!!
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Yes
No
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If Black plays d6-d5 he's a move behind on the variations we've just looked at, which must be good for White. And otherwise he's going to lose at least a pawn. Check it out for yourself.
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Congratulations!! You have now completed the TWO KNIGHTS DEFENSE assignment.  
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