Chess Openings Lab
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King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky

The Konstantinopolsky is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3, preparing a fianchetto with Bg2 instead of the usual Bb5 or Bc4. White wants a slow, safe setup with d3 and castling, while Black can strike in the center at once with ...d5 before the bishop arrives.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3
ECO
C44
Engine
−0.19 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
1,476 games in our lichess sample
White scores
50.7%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Continue with Bg2 and O-O; the bishop on g2 supports e4 and watches the long diagonal.
  • After ...d5, take with exd5 and develop with Nc3, gaining time on the queen.
  • Play d3 and c3 for a solid center, and keep d4 as a later break.
  • Against ...Bc5, the engine reroutes a knight via a3 to c4, eyeing the bishop.

Black

  • ...d5 is the engine's top move, hitting e4 before Bg2 can defend it.
  • After exd5 Qxd5 and Nc3, retreat to d6 and develop with ...Bg4.
  • ...Nf6 and ...Bc5 build a calm, classical setup with ...d6 and ...a5.
  • ...Bc5 followed by ...Bb6 keeps the bishop on a safe diagonal, out of reach of a later d4 push.

Plans and pawn structure

White's slow fianchetto gives Black time to take the center. After ...d5 and exd5, Black's queen comes to d5 and then d6, and Black develops with ...Bg4 and ...O-O-O or ...O-O. White aims for d3, Bg2, O-O and a later d4 or f4. If Black plays calmly with ...Nf6 and ...Bc5, the game becomes a slow maneuvering fight with chances for both sides.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.19: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.19 3...d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nc3 Qd6 6.d3
  2. −0.08 3...Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.c3
  3. +0.04 3...Bc5 4.Bg2 Bb6 5.d3 d6 6.Na3

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,476 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 50.7%.

under 120051.1%
1200–159950.2%
1600–199951.2%
2000 and up50.0%

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

How to play against it

As Black, play ...d5 right away to use the missing Bg2. After exd5 Qxd5, the engine retreats the queen to d6 after Nc3, then develops with ...Bg4. As White, finish Bg2 and castle before opening the center, and do not let the queen on d6 and bishop on g4 pile up on f3.

Questions

What are the moves of the King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky?

The King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3. Its ECO code is C44.

Is the King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.19 at depth 20, which is level. In 1,476 lichess games from our sample, White scored 50.7%. A quiet choice for White players who like slow setups, and Black gets easy equality with ...d5.

What is the main idea of the King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky?

White prepares a kingside fianchetto with g3 and Bg2, aiming for a slow, safe position. Black can strike at once with ...d5, using the time before the bishop reaches g2.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is d5, with Nf6 and Bc5 close behind. ...d5 hits e4 before the bishop reaches g2 to defend it.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.