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Opening · 56 games

Magnus Carlsen in the Four Knights Game

56 games of Magnus Carlsen in the Four Knights Game, 2002 to 2025: 19 wins, 32 draws, 5 losses. Every game can be replayed move by move.

Quick answer · Updated October 2026

Does Magnus Carlsen play the Four Knights Game?

Yes. Magnus Carlsen has played the Four Knights Game in 56 games in our database (2002–2025): 19 wins, 32 draws and 5 losses, a score of 62.5%. He had it 34 times with White (12–20–2) and 22 times with Black (7–12–3).

Type of event	Games	Carlsen won	Drawn	Opponent won	Carlsen score
Classical	11	1	10	0	54.5%
Rapid	14	2	12	0	57.1%
Blitz and bullet	26	13	10	3	69.2%
Other events	5	3	0	2	60.0%
All games	56	19	32	5	62.5%

First game in our databaseMagnus Carlsen vs S Nyysti · IV Shakkinet A · 25 June 2002 · 1-0

Latest gameMagnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura · Titled Tue 23rd Dec 2025 · 23 December 2025 · ½-½

Classical games11: 1–10–0 (won–drawn–lost)

His most played move order1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 (26 games)

Busiest year2025, with 10 games

Replay all 56 games Magnus Carlsen profile All Magnus openings

Source: the Rama Chess database of 7,484 Magnus Carlsen games, 2001 to 2025 (many of his games, not all of them). Opening names follow the ECO code of each game. The type of event is read from the event name.

The opening

The Four Knights Game: the starting moves

Four Knights Game chess opening position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6, board diagram — The Four Knights Game starts with **1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6**.

In his own games the line he reached most often is **1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4** (26 games).

Best wins

Magnus Carlsen's Four Knights Game wins against top players

Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann, 1-0Titled Tue 10th Jun Late · 10 June 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 45 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Le Tuan Minh, 1-0Titled Tue 14th Oct 2025 · 14 October 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 53 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann, 1-0Titled Tue 11th Nov 2025 · 11 November 2025 · Blitz and bullet · 47 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Alireza Firouzja, 1-0Bullet Chess Losers 2023 · 21 July 2023 · Blitz and bullet · 59 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Alireza Firouzja, 1-0Bullet Chess Losers 2023 · 21 July 2023 · Blitz and bullet · 34 moves
Magnus Carlsen vs Andrew Tang, 1-0Carlsen-Tang Bullet 2021 · 22 February 2021 · Blitz and bullet · 28 moves

Results by year

The Four Knights Game by year (2002–2025)

Carlsen wonDrawnOpponent won

Record · Updated October 2026

Magnus Carlsen's record in the Four Knights Game

The Rama Chess archive holds 56 games in which Magnus Carlsen played the Four Knights Game, from 2002 to 2025. He won 19, drew 32 and lost 5, a score of 62.5%. The games come from all time controls (classical, rapid and blitz).

He has had this opening on the board with both colours: 34 games as White (12 wins, 20 draws, 2 losses) and 22 games as Black (7 wins, 12 draws, 3 losses).

His most frequent opponents here are Hikaru Nakamura (7), Levon Aronian (3), R Praggnanandhaa (3). The earliest game is from 2002 (IV Shakkinet A) and the most recent from 2025 (13th Norway Chess 2025). The ECO code seen most often is C47.

Replay the games Magnus Carlsen profile All his openings Learn openings

By colour

With White and with Black

Carlsen played	Games	Won	Drawn	Lost	Score
White	34	12	20	2	65%
Black	22	7	12	3	59%
All games	56	19	32	5	62%

Year by year

Four Knights Game games by year

Year	Games	Won	Drawn	Lost	Score
2002	1	1	0	0	100%
2004	1	1	0	0	100%
2007	1	0	1	0	50%
2010	3	2	1	0	83%
2014	1	1	0	0	100%
2015	2	1	0	1	50%
2017	3	1	2	0	67%
2018	4	2	2	0	75%
2019	2	0	2	0	50%
2020	4	0	4	0	50%
2021	4	2	1	1	62%
2022	5	0	5	0	50%
2023	8	3	2	3	50%
2024	7	2	5	0	64%
2025	10	3	7	0	65%

Opponents

Who he played most in the Four Knights Game

Hikaru Nakamura · 7 Levon Aronian · 3 R Praggnanandhaa · 3 Jan-Krzysztof Duda · 3 Ding Liren · 2 Wesley So · 2 Andrew Tang · 2 Fabiano Caruana · 2

All 56 games: Magnus Carlsen in the Four Knights Game

Year

Game

ECO

Result