Italian Game

The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) is one of the oldest recorded openings in chess. White develops quickly, aims the bishop at f7, which only Black's king protects, and prepares to castle. It is often the first opening beginners learn, and it is also a regular choice among the world's best players.

Origins

The Italian Game was developed in the 16th century by players such as Pedro Damiano and Giulio Polerio, and it featured prominently in the game collections of Gioachino Greco, dating to between 1620 and 1625. Its classical main line, 3...Bc5, is still called the Giuoco Piano, traditionally translated as "quiet game". The Evans Gambit is named after the Welsh sea captain William Davies Evans, who first played it against McDonnell in London in 1827, and it became very common in the 1830s. In the 21st century its popularity grew again: after the Berlin Defence of the Ruy Lopez emerged in the 2000 world championship match between Kramnik and Kasparov, White players looked for new ideas in the Italian, which avoids the Berlin.

The idea

Against 3...Bc5 White's main move is c3, and then White chooses between two plans:

• Open play with c3 and d4: strike in the centre at once, the main line for centuries.
• Slow play with c3 and d3 (the Giuoco Pianissimo): delay or forgo d4 and manoeuvre in the style of the Ruy Lopez.

Black has two main replies. 3...Bc5 mirrors White's development, while 3...Nf6 (the Two Knights Defense) counterattacks e4 and leads to sharper play.

Main lines

• Giuoco Piano 3...Bc5, with 4.c3 and d4 or the modern 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3.
• Evans Gambit 4.b4: White gives a pawn for quick development and attacking chances.
• Two Knights Defense 3...Nf6, where 4.Ng5 leads to the Fried Liver Attack after 4...d5 5.exd5 Nxd5?! 6.Nxf7. Black generally avoids the recapture 5...Nxd5, because both 6.Nxf7 and 6.d4 are difficult to defend in practice. The most common reply is 5...Na5 (the Polerio Defense), in which Black gives up a pawn for an active position.
• Hungarian Defense 3...Be7 and the Paris Defense 3...d6: both solid.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Easy to learn: natural development teaches the basic principles of open games.
• Flexible: White can play sharply at club level or slowly at master level.
• Rich in tactics against f7, which regularly wins quick games at lower ratings.

Weaknesses

• Against accurate defence the early attack runs out of steam, and the slow d3 lines need real positional understanding.
• The Two Knights Defense forces White to know the concrete lines after 4.Ng5 or 4.d4.
• It gives Black a comfortable, symmetrical game if White plays it without a plan.

Who should play it

The Italian is an excellent first opening for players who meet 1...e5, and it grows with you: the same moves lead to the Giuoco Pianissimo that grandmasters use today. It is strong against players who defend passively or don't know the traps around f7. It is less effective against players who know the Two Knights well or who answer 1.e4 with the Petrov.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins about 51% (Black 45%) below 1800, and the gap narrows to 48% against 46% above 2200. In master games over the board almost half of the games (47%) are drawn: White wins 30%, Black 23%.