Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4

Italian Game
{{{2}}} a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4
ECO code: C50-C59
Parent: King's Knight Opening
Responses: ‎ 3. Bc5 - Giuoco Piano 3. Nf6 - Two Knight's Defense 3. Be7 - Hungarian Defense 3. d6 - Paris Opening 3. Nd4 - Blackburne-Shilling Gambit 3. f5 - Rousseau Gambit

Italian Game

3. Bc4

The Italian Game is very popular and one of the oldest openings in chess. White develops the bishop to a good square where it controls a valuable diagonal in the centre and targets Black's f7-pawn. This move also clears the way for early kingside castling. This opening is very easy to study and one of the best choices for beginners. Black has a few responses here, but the most played are 3. Nf6, the Two Knights Defense, which ironically can lead to rather sharp lines, and 3. Bc5, the Giuoco Piano, which focuses on quiet play and developing pieces, though the Evans Gambit can subvert that.

Responses

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3...Nf6   (Two Knights)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3...Bc5   (Giuoco Piano)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3...Be7   (Hungarian)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3....d6   (Paris)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3....Nd4   (Blackburne Shilling Gambit)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3....f5   (Rousseau Gambit)

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4

	3	4
Two Knights Defence	... Nf6	Ng5 d5	=
Giuoco Piano	... Bc5	c3 Nf6	=
Hungarian Defence	... Be7	d4 exd4	=
Paris Defence	... d6	c3 Bg4	+/=
Blackburne Shilling Gambit	... Nd4	c3 Nxf3	+/=
Rousseau Gambit	... f5	d3 Nf6	+/=
Other	... a6	d4 exd4	0-0 Bc5	c3 dxc3	+/=

Statistics

Estimated next move popularity Nf6 56%, Bc5 38%, Be7 3%, d6 2%, all else less than 1%

External links

• The Italian Game for Beginners

References

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.