Tree path 11 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Normal Variation › Italian Game › Giuoco Piano › Italian Game: Classical Variation › Italian Game: Classical Variation › Center Attack › Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Traditional Line › Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Greco's Attack › Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Main Line
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game C20
- King's Knight Opening C40
- Normal Variation C44
- Italian Game C50
- Giuoco Piano C50
- Italian Game: Classical Variation C53
- Italian Game: Classical Variation C54
- Center Attack C54
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Traditional Line C54
- Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Greco's Attack C54
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Main Line C54 you are here
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Main Line
Overview
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Main Line is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO C54 in the Open Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It begins with 16 plies and takes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 to reach the canonical position.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Greco's Attack, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
2 named variations grow from this line, including Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Therkatz Attack, Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Steinitz Variation.
Together the deeper variations number 4 across the full subtree.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- C54
- Group
- Open Games (C)
- Plies
- 16
- Direct variations
- 2
- Total in subtree
- 4
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
475,955 games · White 44.9% / Draw 5.4% / Black 49.7%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| bxc3 | 249,858 | |
| d5 | 219,998 | |
| Qb3 | 2,439 | |
| Bxf7+ | 835 | |
| Qe2 | 827 | |
| Qc2 | 635 | |
| Bd5 | 441 | |
| Qd3 | 429 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 03:11:00
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