Caissa Codex
C59

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Steinitz Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Steinitz Variation after 9. Nh3

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Statistics from Lichess

57,206 games: White 48.8% / Draw 4.8% / Black 46.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
20,54621K
15,69716K
12,84013K
2,2702,270
1,5131,513
1,3711,371
1,2251,225
271271

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 13, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.14 The position is about equal

Best play: 9... Bd6 10. d3 O-O 11. O-O c5 12. Kh1 Bc7 13. Bf3 Rb8 14. Nc3

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

Overview

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Steinitz 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. Nh3 (9 moves).

In 57,206 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.8%, Black 46.4% and 4.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Bxh3, in 36% of those games.

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

9…Bd6 scores best for Black: 50.5%, with Black winning 47.8% and White 46.9% of 13K games. The most played answer, 9…Bxh3, scores lowest: 46.3% in 21K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 9…Bd6.

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. Nh3, 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, Steinitz Variation (C59)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-two-knights-defense-steinitz-variation

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