Robert Ris’ Fast and Furious: The Scotch Four Knights with 5...Nxe4!?

by Robert Ris
2/3/2022 – This week Robert Ris shows how Black can spice up things in the Scotch Four Knights (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4), a line that enjoys the reputation of being very solid for White, by sacrificing a knight on move five. | "Fast and Furious" is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.
By playing the London System, with 1.d4 followed by 2.Nf3 and 3.Bf4, White can avoid a theoretical discussion and instead use natural ability plus a knowledge of plans. The weight of the struggle tends to shift towards the middlegame, but White can also pull off devastatingly quick wins should Black be unaware of the dangers.

The Scotch Four Knights (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4) can be very unpleasant for Black when you are for a complicated battle. White's play is usually very solid and it's actually quite difficult to spice things up if White wants to have a quiet life.

However, with the spectacular sacrifice 5...Nxe4!? it is possible to bring some life into the position, but is this option really as good and as reliable as the main move 5...Bb4?

In this episode I'll explain the main ideas of this sacrifice and take you step by step through all the critical lines.

Exercise: To warm up, here's a basic tactical idea for Black!

 
V. Nebolsina - T. Beerdsen, Titled Tuesday, 4th December 2021
Black to move

You can move the pieces on the live diagram!

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Robert is an International Master who mostly spends his time training and coaching talented youngsters. On the PlayChess server The Fast and the Furious is a popular show where he explains sharp opening lines for a wider audience. He is also a well-known ChessBase author who produced numerous DVDs and regularly contributes to ChessBase Magazine as well. Since 2015 he is the organizer of the Dutch Rapid Championships in his home town Amstelveen. He has started a YouTube channel with chess analysis as well.

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