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Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack

720K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

71.4%

45%75%
Floor71.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 71.5%.

Measured over 720K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 2.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 720K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
720K
Best context
84.9% at 1600-1799 Classical
Worst context
60.5% at 1000-1199 UltraBullet
Average game length
23 moves
Games that end decisively
97.1%
Draws
2.9%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 10.9% · Classical best · UltraBullet worst

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It gets better as the rating rises: 63.4% at 0-999, 76.7% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+———

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 51.5% expected score (280 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 67.2% expected score (41,849 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 69.2% expected score (95,178 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 66.3% expected score (92,625 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 62.8% expected score (709 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 60.5% expected score (595 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 68.9% expected score (47,580 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 73.0% expected score (79,093 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 70.8% expected score (79,381 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 69.3% expected score (2,863 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 64.2% expected score (755 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 69.8% expected score (38,255 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 75.8% expected score (48,603 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 76.1% expected score (46,114 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 71.4% expected score (3,779 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 63.7% expected score (475 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 70.8% expected score (27,625 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 77.3% expected score (27,503 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 78.5% expected score (20,148 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 79.4% expected score (3,243 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 59.4% expected score (100 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 71.1% expected score (16,030 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 77.6% expected score (14,506 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 80.6% expected score (7,203 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 84.9% expected score (823 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 72.7% expected score (25 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 70.5% expected score (8,288 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 77.5% expected score (6,216 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 78.6% expected score (2,397 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 80.7% expected score (147 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 72.5% expected score (3,390 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 76.7% expected score (1,918 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 80.5% expected score (524 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 89.4% expected score (15 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 73.9% expected score (1,403 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 81.3% expected score (439 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 81.2% expected score (85 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 80.8% expected score (239 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 72.5% expected score (34 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Italian Game
55.0%
Variations (5)
Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense
51.3%
Italian Game: Paris Defense
50.2%
Italian Game: Giuoco Piano
47.0%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
50.6%
Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal
49.3%
Continuations (1)
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal Variation
52.8%
Analyze Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack scores 71.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 71.3% and 71.5% — from 720K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
720K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, White wins 69.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 27.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 71.4%. It rests on 720K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack perform best?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 79.9% (273 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 73.0% in Blitz (273K games) against 71.2% in Rapid (248K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack has a sharpness score of 97.1 (very decisive), meaning 97.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 23 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 65.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 30.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 67.7%. It rests on 231K Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 69.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 27.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 71.2%. It rests on 210K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 72.8%, draws 2.4% and loses 24.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 74.0%. It rests on 138K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 74.2%, draws 2.3% and loses 23.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 75.4%. It rests on 79K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 74.4%, draws 2.4% and loses 23.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 75.6%. It rests on 39K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 72.9%, draws 2.7% and loses 24.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 74.3%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 73.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 23.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 74.7%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 74.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 22.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 76.0%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 78.9%, draws 2.0% and loses 19.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 79.9%. It rests on 273 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 60.9%, draws 1.1% and loses 38.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 61.4%. It rests on 2.2K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 68.5%, draws 1.8% and loses 29.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 69.4%. It rests on 185K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 71.6%, draws 2.8% and loses 25.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 73.0%. It rests on 273K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 69.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 27.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 71.2%. It rests on 248K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 71.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 24.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 73.7%. It rests on 12K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack a good opening?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 69.9% of its games and loses 27.2%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.