Naroditsky Variation

Instead of using the extra tempo of the symmetrical Four Knights to develop or strike in the center, White moves the queen's knight a second time with 4. Nd5, leaving the e4 pawn undefended. The idea mirrors the Belgrade Gambit. If Black grabs the pawn, 4...Nxe4 5. d4 exd4 6. Bd3 transposes to a Belgrade line in which Black has taken on e4 rather than choosing the stronger 5...Nb4 or the quieter 5...Be7. White is then two pawns down but has active pieces and several traps. Black can also decline. After 4...Be7, White protects e4 either with 5. d3, which leaves the king's bishop passive, or with 5. Bd3, planning c3, Bc2 and possibly d4. In practice 4...Bb4 is the most frequent reply and transposes to the Schlechter Variation of the Three Knights Opening. Engines rate the position as balanced, and Black scores slightly better in online games.

The move was a blitz favorite of Daniel Naroditsky. After his death, Hikaru Nakamura played it in his memory against Magnus Carlsen at the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown and proposed the current name. Lichess added the name to its opening book in February 2026.