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: Classical Variation, Center Holding Variation
C53 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 5. d4 Bb6
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Closed Variation
C53 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Eisinger Variation
C53 13 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 5. d4 Bb6 6. d5 Nb8 7. d6
Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation
C53 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 d6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Mestel Variation
C53 11 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 5. d4 Bb6 6. Bg5
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation
C53 17 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 5. d4 Bb6 6. O-O d6 7. a4 a6 8. h3 Nf6 9. Re1
Italian Game: Classical Variation
C54 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Center Attack
C54 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Ghulam-Kassim Variation
C54 17 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo
C54 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo
C54 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo
C54 11 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 h6 6. c3
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