Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Keidansky Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9.Kf1 Qh4

ECO C56

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Keidansky Variation is a chess opening line in the Italian Game complex, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9.Kf1 Qh4.

It is catalogued under code C56 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Qh4 is chosen by Black on move 9.

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Scotch Gambit course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.