Italian Game

A complete White repertoire in 6 chapters: Giuoco Piano, Pianissimo, Two Knights, Fried Liver, Evans and Black sidelines

60 lines of real theory after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, checked against the masters database. Every line explains why each move is played in the concrete position and ends with a middlegame plan: structure, piece manoeuvres and targets.

Chapter 1: Giuoco Piano – Main Centre c3-d4

White builds the centre with c3 and d4: Møller Attack, Greco Gambit, Steinitz Variation and how to punish passive or premature defences.

  1. Giuoco Piano – Classical 7.Bd2 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  2. Giuoco Piano – Møller Attack (7.Nc3 & 9.d5) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  3. Greco Gambit – Punishing 8...Nxc3 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  4. Giuoco Piano – Refuting 6...Bb6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  5. Giuoco Piano – Chigorin Defence (4...Qe7) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 Bb6…
  6. Giuoco Piano – Passive 4...d6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4…
  7. Giuoco Piano – Early 4...Qf6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qf6 5.d4 exd4…
  8. Giuoco Piano – Steinitz Variation 7.Kf1 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  9. Giuoco Piano – Advance 6.e5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…
  10. Giuoco Piano – Tactical 9.Bxf7+ 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4…

Chapter 2: Giuoco Pianissimo – Modern 4.d3

The slow system of today's grandmasters: c3, d3, a4, h3, the Nbd2-f1-g3 manoeuvre and the d3-d4 break at the right moment.

  1. Giuoco Pianissimo – Modern Main Line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  2. Giuoco Pianissimo – Knight Outpost on f5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  3. Giuoco Pianissimo – Queenside a4 Expansion 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  4. Giuoco Pianissimo – Caruana Na3-Nc2 Manoeuvre 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  5. Giuoco Pianissimo – Answering 6...Bg4 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  6. Giuoco Pianissimo – Delayed d4 Break 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  7. Giuoco Pianissimo – Pinning with 8.Bg5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O d6…
  8. Giuoco Pianissimo – a4 and the a2-g8 Diagonal 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…
  9. Giuoco Pianissimo – Against the Early ...d5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 O-O…
  10. Giuoco Pianissimo – Against the 6...Na5 Hunt 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6…

Chapter 3: Two Knights Defence 3...Nf6

How to meet 3...Nf6: 4.Ng5 with the main line 5...Na5, the Fritz and Ulvestad variations, the Max Lange Attack with 4.d4 and the quiet 4.d3 system.

  1. 21. Two Knights: Main Line (5...Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5…
  2. 22. Two Knights: 8.Bd3 Variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5…
  3. 23. Two Knights: 8.Qf3 Variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5…
  4. 24. Fritz Variation (5...Nd4 6.c3 b5 7.Bf1) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4…
  5. 25. Ulvestad Variation (5...b5 6.Bf1) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 b5…
  6. 26. Canal Variation (4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4…
  7. 27. Max Lange Attack (5...Bc5 6.e5) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Bc5…
  8. 28. Quiet Reply 5...Be7 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Be7…
  9. 29. Two Knights with 4.d3 (Transposition into the Pianissimo) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6…
  10. 30. Italian Four Knights: The 4...Nxe4 Trick 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5…
  11. 31. 4.d3 Be7: Closed Spanish Structure 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O…
  12. 32. Two Knights: 9.Nh3 Variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5…

Chapter 4: Fried Liver Attack & f7 Traps

The 6.Nxf7 sacrifice after 5...Nxd5, the Lolli Attack, the Traxler Counter-Gambit and how to punish wrong defences of f7.

  1. 33. Fried Liver Attack: Main Line (6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3 Nb4) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…
  2. 34. Fried Liver: 8...Ne7 Defence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…
  3. 35. Fried Liver: 8...Nd4 Counterattack 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…
  4. 36. Traxler: 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bb3 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7…
  5. 37. Traxler: 6.Bd5 and the c3-d4 Centre 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7…
  6. 38. Fried Liver: the 7...Ke7 Mistake 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…
  7. 39. Fried Liver: 7...Qf6 Queen Defence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…
  8. 40. Lolli Attack (6.d4) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5…

Chapter 5: Evans Gambit 4.b4

The b4 pawn offered to gain time with c3 and d4: the retreats 5...Ba5, 5...Bc5 and 5...Be7, the declined gambit and the attacking plans against the black king.

  1. 41. Evans Gambit: Main Line (5...Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O Nge7) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…
  2. 42. Evans: Compromised Defence (7...dxc3 8.Qb3) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…
  3. 43. Evans: 5...Be7 Retreat (6.d4 Na5 7.Be2) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7…
  4. 44. Evans: 5...Bc5 Retreat (6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5…
  5. 45. Evans Declined (4...Bb6 5.a4 a6 6.Nc3) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bb6 5.a4 a6…
  6. 46. Evans Declined with 5.b5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bb6 5.b5 Nd4…
  7. 47. Evans: Waller Attack (8.Qb3 Qf6 9.Bg5) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…
  8. 48. Evans: 6...d6 7.Qb3 Qd7 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…
  9. 49. Evans: 7...Bb6 Retreat and the 9.d5 Push 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…
  10. 50. Evans: 7...Nge7 8.Ng5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5…

Chapter 6: Sidelines, Hungarian Defence and Black Surprises

Hungarian Defence 3...Be7, 3...d6, Rousseau Gambit, Blackburne Shilling, Calabrese Counter-Gambit and other deviations: how to get the edge without risk.

  1. 51. Hungarian Defence: the d5 Push 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 d6 5.d5 Nb8…
  2. 52. Hungarian Defence: Exchange on d4 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 d6…
  3. 53. Semi-Italian Defence 3...d6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.c3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5…
  4. 54. Rousseau Counter-Gambit 3...f5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4…
  5. 55. Blackburne Shilling Trap: the 4.Nxd4 Reply 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O d6…
  6. 56. Calabrese Counter-Gambit 4...f5 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 f5 5.d4 fxe4…
  7. 57. Hungarian: 5.c3 Gambit and the Qd5 Attack 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 exd4 5.c3 dxc3…
  8. 58. Premature Queen 3...Qf6 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Qf6 4.Nc3 Nge7 5.d3 h6…
  9. 59. 4...Qe7 Variation with 5.O-O 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.O-O d6…
  10. 60. Evans Declined: 9...Ba7 10.O-O 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bb6 5.a4 a6…