Caissa Codex
C54

Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation after 14. Nxh7

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Statistics from Lichess

7,483 games: White 45.2% / Draw 9.3% / Black 45.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
5,3415,341
1,9651,965
113113
3535
2020
66
22
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

0.00 The position is about equal

Best play: 14... Kxh7 15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. Rh4 f6 17. g4 Bd7 18. Re1 Qe8 19. Qh7+

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation (ECO C54, Open Games) is a variation of the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Therkatz Attack, reached after 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 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 O-O 14. Nxh7 (14 moves).

In 7,483 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.2%, Black 45.4% and 9.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 14…Kxh7, in 71% of those games.

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How to play against the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation

14…Bf5 scores best for Black: 51.1%, with Black winning 46.7% and White 44.5% of 1,965 games. The most played answer, 14…Kxh7, scores lowest: 50.2% in 5,341 games. Stockfish's first choice is 14…Kxh7.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 9…Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 O-O 14. Nxh7, the position after Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Therkatz Attack also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation (C54)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-giuoco-piano-therkatz-herzog-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-giuoco-piano-therkatz-herzog-variation