Opening for White · ECO C50–C59
Italian Game in chess
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
White’s bishop eyes f7 from move 3. Easy to understand, rich to play: the ideal opening to improve, played up to the very top level.
The ideas
White
- Aim at f7 with the bishop, sometimes with Ng5.
- Prepare d4 with c3.
- Castle quickly, rook to e1.
Black
- Develop and castle without leaving f7 alone.
- Free your game with …d5.
- Keep the bishop with …a6 and …Ba7.
Main variations
Giuoco Piano
3…Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5
4.c3 and 5.d4: White builds a big center, Black breaks it with …d5.
Giuoco Pianissimo
3…Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6 6.O-O a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 O-O 9.h3
4.d3: a slow game, about plans (a4, h3, Nbd2-f1-g3) more than theory.
Two Knights Defense
3…Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5
3…Nf6 invites 4.Ng5. After 4…d5 5.exd5, Black plays 5…Na5! and gives a pawn for the initiative.
Evans Gambit
3…Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O
4.b4!? gives a pawn to play c3 and d4 with tempo. A dangerous weapon in blitz.
By the numbers
Black’s replies after 3.Bc4
3…Bc5 and 3…Nf6 make up almost 70% of games. Out of 102.8 million Lichess games.
Traps to know
The Fried Liver Attack
5…Nxd5? allows 6.Nxf7! and the black king has to walk into the center.
With Black, play 5…Na5!
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit trap
Grabbing the e5 pawn with 4.Nxe5? leads to mate in a few moves.
With White, play 4.Nxd4 or 4.O-O.
Légal’s Mate
The “pinned” knight moves anyway: if Black takes the queen, it’s mate.
With Black, take back 6…Nxe5.
Other openings
Frequently asked questions
Is the Italian Game good for beginners?
Yes. It follows the basic principles: take the center, develop your pieces and castle quickly. The plans are clear and its common traps teach a lot about tactics.
What is the difference between the Italian Game and the Ruy Lopez?
It all happens on move 3. In the Italian (3.Bc4), the bishop eyes f7. In the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5), it attacks the c6 knight that defends e5: the pressure is slower and the theory heavier.
What should I play against the Two Knights Defense?
4.Ng5 is the most direct answer, but you need to know the theory after 4…d5 5.exd5 Na5. 4.d3 is a calmer choice that leads to maneuvering positions.
How do I remember the Italian Game lines?
By replaying them on the board instead of rereading them. ChessFlux makes you replay your repertoire move by move, comes back to the moves you forget and checks in your Lichess and Chess.com games whether you actually play them.