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The Italian Game: A Beginner-Friendly Opening for White
How to play the Italian Game with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4: the main ideas, the Giuoco Piano, the Two Knights Defence and the traps to avoid.
The Italian Game is one of the oldest openings in chess, analysed by Italian players in the 1500s, and it's still played at every level today, from first-time players to world championship matches. It follows the opening principles naturally, leads to open positions where tactics matter, and teaches you how to attack the weak f7 square. That makes it an ideal first opening.
The starting moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
White puts a pawn in the centre, develops the knight with an attack on e5, and places the bishop on its most aggressive diagonal, aiming at f7. At the start of the game, f7 is guarded only by Black's king, so it's the most natural target on the board.
Black now has two main replies: 3...Bc5, the Giuoco Piano, and 3...Nf6, the Two Knights Defence.
The Giuoco Piano: 3...Bc5
"Giuoco Piano" is Italian for "quiet game". Black copies White, putting the bishop on the diagonal towards f2. White now chooses between two plans.
The quiet plan: 4.c3 and 5.d3
White prepares d4 with c3, but plays d3 first and builds slowly: castle, put a rook on e1, bring the queen's knight round via d2 and f1 to g3, and push a4 to gain space on the queenside. This is how most modern grandmasters play it. The position stays balanced, but White has a small, lasting initiative and very little risk.
The sharp plan: 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4
White strikes in the centre at once. After 5...exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+, Black gains time by attacking the king, and the play becomes very tactical. It's fun, but you need to know the lines; as a beginner, the quiet plan gives you more natural positions to learn from.
The Two Knights Defence: 3...Nf6
Black ignores the bishop and counterattacks White's e4 pawn. This is the sharper choice, and White has a famous aggressive try: 4.Ng5, attacking f7 with knight and bishop together.
The correct defence is 4...d5, blocking the bishop. After 5.exd5, Black's best and most popular move is 5...Na5, chasing the bishop away and giving up a pawn for quick development. Black gets good play for the pawn.
The natural-looking 5...Nxd5?! is risky. White can play 6.Nxf7!?, sacrificing a knight: after 6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 Black's king is dragged into the centre and has to defend very accurately. This is the famous Fried Liver Attack, and it wins a lot of quick games against unprepared opponents.
If you'd rather not allow all that as Black, choose 3...Bc5 instead. If you'd rather not go into it as White, play the quiet 4.d3 and develop normally.
Key ideas for White
- Pressure on f7. The bishop on c4 and a knight on g5 (or the queen on h5 or f3) can combine against it. Watch for tactics there all game.
- The d4 break. Preparing d4 with c3 is White's main central plan. When it comes, the centre opens and White's better-developed pieces come to life.
- Keep the bishop. If Black plays ...Na5 to trade the c4 bishop, it's often worth retreating it to b3, where it still aims at f7.
- The kingside knight manoeuvre. In the slow lines, Nb1-d2-f1-g3 is a standard regrouping that brings a knight towards the black king.
Key ideas for Black
- Challenge the bishop. Moves like ...d6, ...Be6 or ...Na5 reduce its pressure.
- Play ...d5 when it works. If Black can safely push the d-pawn two squares, the opening is a success: the c4 bishop is blunted and Black gets central space.
- Watch h6 and g4 ideas. When White plays Bg5 to pin your knight, ...h6 asks the question.
A trap to avoid
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!? (a cheeky move sometimes called the Blackburne Shilling Gambit), White's natural 4.Nxe5? walks into 4...Qg5!, attacking both the knight and g2. If White greedily plays 5.Nxf7?? Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Nf3#, it's mate. The safe answer to 3...Nd4 is simply to castle or play 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O with a pleasant position.
Practise it
Play the Italian in a few games against the computer on Easy or Medium. Don't try to win quickly; aim for a position with your pieces developed, your king castled, and a well-prepared d4 push. Then look at the move list afterwards and see where the f7 square mattered.