Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. Nd5

Naroditsky variation C47 Four knights game 4. Nd5!? · Naroditsky variation This is a tactical sideline. White undefends their e4 pawn. If Black accepts the gambit, 4...Nxe4, the line 5. d4 exd4 6. Bd3 has transposed into a line in the Belgrade gambit. This is a cunning move-order trick: through transposition, White has reached the same position as in the Belgrade gambit (after 4. d4 exd4 5. Nd5) where Black has played 5...Nxe4!? instead of the more critical 5...Nb4! or the main line 5...Be7, a quiet move that avoids complications. In this line, White gives up two pawns but gets compensation in the form of activity and sets some traps for the unwary. There are several reasonable ways to decline the gambit, including 4...Be7. White can then defend their pawn, either with 5. d3, accepting their king's bishop will be passive, or with the extraordinary-looking manoeuvre 5. Bd3!: White can then play c3, Bc2, and perhaps still play d4. History 4. Nd5 was a blitz favourite of Daniel Naroditsky. Following Naroditsky's death, Hikaru Nakamura played it in memoriam against Magnus Carlsen in the "Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown" invitational and called for the line to be known as the "Naroditsky variation".Nakamura v Carlsen, 2025. Chessgames.com"FIREWORKS VS GUKESH & FABI!!" (Youtube, game analysis by Hikaru Nakamura) Under this title it was added to the Chess.com and Lichess opening books by November 2025 and February 2026 respectively.Four Knights Game: Naroditsky Variation, Chess.comChangelog. Lichess.org. Theory table References