Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Ranken Variation
The Ranken Variation starts with 4...a6 in the Spanish Four Knights, and 5.Bxc6 removes the knight that guards e5. Black must recapture correctly and then win back the e5 pawn, while White hopes to keep the pawn and develop first.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 a6 5.Bxc6
- ECO
- C48
- Engine
- +0.31 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 1,496 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 59.7%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- After 5...dxc6, 6.Nxe5 grabs the pawn. Following 6...Nxe4 7.Nxe4 Qd5, 8.O-O gives the material back for time.
- 9.d4 then hits the queen on e5, and Re1 and Bf4 follow with more gains of time against it.
- Against 5...bxc6, 6.Nxe5 wins a clean pawn, and f3 and d4 build a strong center around it.
Black
- Recapture with 5...dxc6. It opens the d-file and the c8-bishop, and ...Nxe4 with ...Qd5 wins back the e5 pawn.
- Avoid 5...bxc6: after 6.Nxe5 Black has no quick way to regain the pawn.
- Never play 5...Bb4. The bishop on c6 escapes with 6.Bd5 and White stays a piece up.
- After the trades Black has the bishop pair and open lines, so finish development before grabbing anything else.
Plans and pawn structure
After 5...dxc6 and the trades, Black has doubled c-pawns but two bishops and open lines for them. White has a healthy kingside pawn majority and wants d4, Re1 and Bf4 to gain time on Black's queen. Black should finish development with ...Be7 or ...Bd6 and castle, then use the bishops. In an endgame, White's healthy majority is the long-term trump.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.31: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.31 5...dxc6 6.Nxe5 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 Qd5 8.O-O
- +1.51 5...bxc6 6.Nxe5 Bb4 7.O-O O-O 8.f3
- +4.39 5...Bb4 6.Bd5 c6 7.Bb3 d5 8.O-O
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
1,496 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 59.7%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Spanish Variation, Spielmann Variation5...dxc6 · rare
How to play against it
Take back with 5...dxc6 and go straight for the pawn: after 6.Nxe5, 6...Nxe4 7.Nxe4 Qd5 forks the knights. Then castle fast, because d4, Re1 and Bf4 will come with tempo. Do not try 5...bxc6 or 5...Bb4; both leave you clearly worse.
Questions
What are the moves of the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Ranken Variation?
The Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Ranken Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 a6 5.Bxc6. Its ECO code is C48.
Is the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Ranken Variation good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.31 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 1,496 lichess games from our sample, White scored 59.7%. Playable for Black only with exact knowledge of the ...Qd5 recovery; it suits White players who like clean pawn-structure edges.
What is the main idea of the Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Ranken Variation?
Black spends a move on ...a6, and White takes on c6 to go after the e5 pawn. Black's correct reply is 5...dxc6 and the ...Nxe4, ...Qd5 trick to regain material with two bishops.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is dxc6, with bxc6 and Bb4 close behind. 5...dxc6 opens the c8-bishop and the d-file, setting up ...Nxe4 and ...Qd5 to win the pawn back.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.