Chess Openings Lab
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Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation

The Perreux Variation is 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5, a premature knight jump at f7 after giving up the d4 pawn. The engine shows it is dubious for White: Black strikes with ...d5 and a queen check on the e-file, while White tries to win back d4.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5
ECO
C56
Engine
−0.75 · a clear edge for Black (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
1,377 games in our lichess sample
White scores
53.6%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • After ...d5, take with exd5 and answer ...Qe7+ with Kf1, keeping the c4 bishop.
  • Win the d4 pawn back with Qxd4 when it is safe, as in the engine lines.
  • If Black plays ...Ne5, take on d4 with the queen and trade queens to reach a level ending.
  • Against ...Bb4+, block with c3 and later take the bishop with cxb4 after ...Nxd5.

Black

  • Play ...d5 at once to cut off the bishop and open the e-file for the queen.
  • After exd5, check with ...Qe7+ so White's king loses castling rights on f1.
  • Follow with ...Ne5 to hit the c4 bishop and win the bishop pair with ...Nxc4.
  • ...Ne5 or ...Bb4+ are calmer choices, but ...d5 punishes White's knight move most directly.

Plans and pawn structure

White's knight on g5 does not hit enough: f7 is defended and the center is open. After ...d5 and ...Qe7+, White's king walks to f1 and Black wins the bishop pair with ...Ne5 and ...Nxc4. Black then develops with ...Bd7 and long castling, using the open e-file. White's plan is to win back d4 and develop with Nc3 and h3, hoping to keep the king safe. Black has the easier game.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.75: a clear edge for Black. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.75 5...d5 6.exd5 Qe7+ 7.Kf1 Ne5 8.Qxd4
  2. −0.34 5...Ne5 6.Qxd4 Qe7 7.O-O Qc5 8.Qxc5
  3. −0.26 5...Bb4+ 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Qe7+ 8.Be2

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,377 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 53.6%.

under 120056.8%
1200–159952.6%
1600–199954.5%
2000 and up48.2%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As Black, play ...d5 and ...Qe7+ without fear. After Kf1, ...Ne5 and ...Nxc4 grab the bishop pair, and White is left with a displaced king and no castling. Avoid passive moves that give White time to castle, recapture d4 and catch up in development.

Questions

What are the moves of the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5. Its ECO code is C56.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.75 at depth 20, which is a clear edge for Black. In 1,377 lichess games from our sample, White scored 53.6%. A dubious try for White that only works against surprised opponents, and Black should answer with ...d5 and ...Qe7+.

What is the main idea of the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation?

White gives up the d4 pawn and jumps at f7 with the knight. The engine shows this is premature: ...d5 and ...Qe7+ chase the king and Black takes over.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is d5, with Ne5 and Bb4+ close behind. ...d5 shuts the bishop out and prepares ...Qe7+, leaving White's king in the center.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.