Four Knights - Move by Move Book?

Greetings

A friend of mine introduced to me the book mentioned in the title, which was apparently good to me. However, four knights opening is not a popular choice. So should I spend time and effort on this book?

My feeling is it's an underrated opening, and worth learning for that reason. A booked-up White player should be able to get decent chances with it.

"The Four Knights Game is an incredibly old opening that has been revived periodically through the years. In the 1980s, there was an explosion in new top-level games after several English players, including Short and Nunn, incorporated the opening into their repertoires. In recent years, players such as Shirov, Sutovsky, and Rublevsky are infusing the opening with fresh ideas and it once again is proving to be a valid weapon at all levels of play. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2012) https://web.archive.org/web/20140627022042/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen153.pdf

"... It's a popular choice for young players as it's easy to learn and play. It's a perfectly reasonable opening, but it doesn't immediately put Black under pressure in the same way the Italian Game and Ruy Lopez do. …" - GM John Emms (2018)

In my opinion this is a great opening.

Most player follow fashion and since many years/decades, high level tells to play Ruy Lopez and Italian.

But u know what? Fashion means nothing!

For a while Berlin defence was considered bad, Italian was considered easy for equality for black (and disappeared at high level), and now, they are revived.

Theory is so huge nowadays  that black found ways to equalize in all openings (i mean if they play the good stuffs) ) if they know what they are doing.

So why not the 4 knights?

Maybe it will be the big line in some years (ahead of Ruy Lopez/Italian). It is safe, and white can bring unbalanced situation quickly if he wants.

For instance, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6, white has numerous ways to play : Bb5, d4, g3, a3, h3 (don't smile about a3 and h3, they have some reasons behind it and Giri had impressive results with h3), and maybe Fe2.

I don't include Beograd gambit though it is probably underrated.

And as Emms said above, it is easy to learn and play!

Personnally i use it, a bit bored of Ruy Lopez, and have good results playing with 4.g3's Glek variation, and even 4.a3's Gunsberg variation. I recommend 4.d4 to some pupils because it is very easy to play and not so simple for black.

Afraid of the Beowulf defense?

I like the Four Knights it's a fun opening and makes a change from the Ruy and QGD