Opening Overview

Italian Game

181 lines
white repertoire

About This Opening

White develops naturally and aims for fast piece activity and central tension.

The opening's main value is its characteristic move order, which helps steer the game toward familiar structures and plans.

When studying it, focus on the first forcing decisions, the main branching points, and the kind of middlegames the opening is designed to reach.

Key ideas
  • Typical theme: recognize the key move order early.
  • Learn the first critical branching decisions.
  • Best for players who want a repeatable repertoire line.
  • Understand the resulting pawn structure and piece placement.

Choose a variation

Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog Variation
C54 27 plies
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
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense
C55 6 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense
C55 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense
C55 14 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. d4 Bxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Bg5 d6
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
C55 7 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
C55 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit
C56 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Anderssen Attack
C56 15 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Anderssen Attack, Main Line
C56 21 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bd2 Qd5 11. Bg5
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Canal Variation
C56 13 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Nc3
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Double Gambit Accepted
C56 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4
Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Janowski Defense
C56 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O d6
← Back