"White aims to develop quickly – but so does Black. White can construct apawn centre but in unfavourable conditions a centre which cannot provide a basis for further active play."[4]
The name "Italian Game" is also commonly used;[5] however, that name is sometimes used instead to describe all openings starting 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, including 3...Nf6 (theTwo Knights Defence) and other less common replies.
The Giuoco Piano is one of the oldest recorded openings. The Portuguese writerPedro Damiano played it at the beginning of the 16th century and the ItalianGreco played it at the beginning of the 17th century. The Giuoco Piano was popular through the 19th century, but modern refinements in defensive play have led most chess masters towards openings like theRuy Lopez that offer White greater chances for long-terminitiative.
White plays 4.c3 in preparation for the central advance d2–d4. The main reply 4...Nf6 was first analysed byGreco in the 17th century. Alternatives include 4...Qe7, with the intention of holding on to the centre.
White can also try 6.e5, a line favoured byEvgeny Sveshnikov,[13] when play usually continues 6...d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6, with approximateequality. Additionally, White has agambit alternative in 6.0-0, whichGraham Burgess revived in the book101 Chess Opening Surprises; the critical line runs 6...Nxe4 7.cxd4 d5 8.dxc5 dxc4 9.Qe2 Qd3. The seldom seen pawn thrust 6.b4 was played in the off-balance upset encounterFier–Mamedyarov, Chessable Masters 2023.[14] After 6...Bb6 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.Qe2+ Be6 10.b5, Black offered the sacrifice 10...Nb4. White choose to accept the offer with 11.cxb4, allowing Black a pair ofconnectedpassed pawns for the piece. Accurate play was required to hold back the passers' advance. Play continued 11...Qxf6 12.0-0 0-0 13.a4 a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15.Bg5 Qf5 16.Bd2 Raa8 17.Bb4 Rfe8 18.a5 Qxb5 19.Qd2 c5. White countered with 20.Bc3, attempting to exchange his extra bishop for the dangerous d-pawn, seeking to regain equality. Black eventually converted his advantage, with the simplifying and consolidating exchanges 20...Bd8 21.Bxd4 cxd4 22.Nxd4 Qd7 23.Nxe6 Qxe6.[15]
6...Bb4+
White now has a choice between 7.Nc3 and 7.Bd2. 7.Nc3 usually leads to the Møller Attack, an aggressive line involving the sacrifice of a pawn, but it has been largely abandoned in high-level games, as Black gains the advantage with accurate defence. 7.Bd2 offers about equal chances.
7.Nc3 (including Greco Variation and Møller Attack)
Greco encouraged an attack on White'squeen rook with 8.0-0, allowing 8...Nxc3?!, the Greco Variation. If 9.bxc3 Bxc3?! 10.Qb3 Bxa1?, White wins with 11.Bxf7+ Kf8 12.Bg5. Greco's game (probably analysis) continues 12...Ne7 13.Ne5 (13.Re1 and 13.Rxa1 also win) 13...d5 14.Qf3 Bf5 15.Be6 g6 16.Bh6+ Ke8 17.Bf7#.[16][17] Thistrap is well-known, and Black can avoid it by playing 10...d5. For this reason, the Scottish masterJames Aitken proposed 10.Ba3!, which gives White the advantage. After 9.bxc3, best for Black is 9...d5! 10.cxb4 dxc4 11.Re1+ Ne7 12.Qa4+! Bd7 13.b5 0-0 14.Qxc4 Ng6!
In 1898, Danish playerJørgen Møller published analysis of the line inTidsskrift for Skak. In what is now known as the Møller Attack, White sacrifices a pawn for development and the initiative.
On 9...Ne5, a possible continuation is 10.bxc3 Nxc4 11.Qd4 f5 12.Qxc4 d6.
10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6!
13...0-0 14.Nxh7! has been analysed to a draw with best play, although Black has many opportunities to go wrong.
14.Bb5+
After 14.Qe2 hxg5 15.Re1 Be6! 16.dxe6 (White also can try 16.Qd2 c6! 17.dxe6 f6 18.Bd3 d5 19.Rg4 Qc7 20.h3 0-0-0 21.b4, attacking) 16...f6 17.Re3 c6 18.Rh3 Rxh3 19.gxh3 g6 it is doubtful that White hascompensation for the sacrificed pawn, according toGrandmasterLarry Kaufman; 14.Qh5 0-0 15.Rae1 Ng6! (or 15...Nf5!) also favours Black.
If White does not want to gambitmaterial, 7.Bd2!, Greco's move,[19] is a good alternative. The game could continue 7...Bxd2+ (Kaufman recommends 7...Nxe4!? 8.Bxb4 Nxb4 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qb3+ d5!? [10...Kf8 11.Qxb4+ Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 is safer, reaching an equalendgame] 11.Ne5+ Ke6! 12.Qxb4 c5!?) 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Nce7 (10...Na5 is an alternative, inviting a repetition of moves after 11.Qa4+ Nc6 [threatening 12...Nb6] 12.Qb3 Na5) 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfe1 c6. In this position White has more freedom, but theisolated d-pawn can be a weakness. 7.Nbd2 is also a viable move for White, although this still only offers approximate equality. It has not been a popular choice among human players, but it seems to be recommended by computer engines.[20] 7.Kf1?! has been largely abandoned.[21]
Black can try to hold astrongpoint in the centre at e5 with 4...Qe7, a move which first appeared in theGöttingen manuscript c. 1500.[22] After 5.d4 (5.0-0 usuallytransposes) Bb6, White's options include 6.0-0, 6.d5, 6.a4 and 6.Bg5.[23] A typical continuation is 6.0-0 d6 7.a4 a6 8.h3 Nf6 9.Re1 0-0 (Leonhardt–Spielmann, Ostend 1907).[24]
4...Bb6 usually transposes after 5.d4 Qe7.
Other 4th moves for Black are considered inferior.
With 4.d3, White plays the Giuoco Pianissimo (Italian for 'Very Quiet Game', a name given byAdolf Anderssen).[25] White aims for a slow buildup, deferring thepush to d4 until it can be prepared. By avoiding an immediate confrontation in the centre, White prevents the early release oftension through exchanges and enters a positional maneuvering game. 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d3 is the Giuoco Pianissimo Deferred.[26] 4.d3 f5 is the not-so-quiet Lucchini Gambit; there can follow 5.Ng5 f4, theDubois Variation.[27]
If White plays c2–c3, the position can take some characteristics of theRuy Lopez if the bishop retreats to c2 via b3. This idea has been taken up by some grandmasters, such asAnish Giri, to avoid the drawishBerlin Defence in the Ruy Lopez. White can also play b4 and a4, chasing the black bishop and staking outspace on thequeenside. Despite its slow,drawish reputation, this variation became more popular after being taken up byJohn Nunn in the 1980s. The common move orders are 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 (ECO C54), and transposition from theBishop's Opening: 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.c3 or 5.0-0 d6 6.c3.
^abHooper & Whyld (1996), p. 153.Giuoco Piano. "The name means 'quiet game' and until the 19th century was often applied to any opening that was not a gambit."
^Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 183.Italian Opening. "Italian Opening, often called the Giuoco Piano (Quiet Game)."
^Horton, Byrne J. (1969) [First pub. 1959]. "Piano Opening".Dictionary of Modern Chess (38th ed.).Bonanza Books. p. 155.ASINB0007KASIW.
