Caissa Codex
C59

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Göring Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Göring Variation after 10…Qc7

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

9,812 games: White 43.8% / Draw 4.9% / Black 51.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
6,9796,979
1,1921,192
962962
661661
44
44
33
22

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

Engine evaluation

+0.25 The position is about equal

Best play: 11. d4 exd3 12. Nxd3 Bd6 13. b3 c5 14. Nd2 O-O 15. Bb2 c4

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

Overview

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Göring Variation (ECO C59, Open Games) is a variation of the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Suhle Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Qc7 (10 moves).

In 9,812 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.8%, Black 51.2% and 4.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 11. d4, in 71% of those games.

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How to play against the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Göring Variation

11. Ng4 scores best for White: 52.3%, with White winning 50.4% and Black 45.8% of 661 games. The most played, 11. d4, scores 46.9% in 6,979 games, and 11. Nc4 scores lowest: 41.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 11. d4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White'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. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Qc7, the position after Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Suhle Defense also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Göring Variation (C59)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-two-knights-defense-polerio-defense-goring-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-two-knights-defense-polerio-defense-goring-variation