59. 4...Qe7 Variation with 5.O-O
With 4...Qe7 Black defends e5 in advance to hold the centre after d4. White castles, plays d4 and, against ...Bb6, the a4, h3 and Re1 set-up.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.O-O d6 6.d4 Bb6 7.a4 a6 8.h3 Nf6 9.Re1
Move by move
- 1.e4 – Occupies the centre and frees the queen and the f1-bishop, which in the Italian Game goes to c4 to aim at the weak f7 point.
- 1...e5 – Black contests the centre at once: the e5 pawn controls d4 and f4 and opens the diagonal for the f8-bishop and the queen.
- 2.Nf3 – Development with an attack: the knight hits the e5 pawn, controls d4 and prepares quick kingside castling.
- 2...Nc6 – Defends e5 while developing and adds control of d4, the square White wants for a pawn.
- 3.Bc4 – The Italian Game move: the bishop aims at f7, defended only by the king, and controls d5, making ...d5 harder to achieve.
- 3...Bc5 – The Giuoco Piano: Black replies symmetrically, aiming at f2 and controlling d4 to hinder the d2-d4 advance.
- 4.c3 – Prepares d4: the c3 pawn takes d4 away from the c6-knight and will let White build an e4-d4 centre with tempo on the c5-bishop.
- 4...Qe7 – The queen supports e5 in view of d4, so as to keep the central pawn without exchanging it; the g8-knight's development is postponed.
- 5.O-O – White castles before pushing d4: with Black's queen on e7 supporting e5 there is no hurry, and the king gets to safety.
- 5...d6 – Black supports e5 with the pawn: the ...Qe7, ...d6, ...Bb6 structure serves to hold the centre.
- 6.d4 – White occupies the centre and attacks the c5-bishop and the e5-pawn.
- 6...Bb6 – The bishop retreats to b6 keeping the pressure on d4; Black holds e5 and the centre stays in tension.
- 7.a4 – White threatens a5 against the b6-bishop, which has no c5 square (controlled by d4).
- 7...a6 – Black prepares the retreat to a7 for the bishop.
- 8.h3 – Takes the g4 square away from Black's knight and bishop, which would like to press on d4 and e4.
- 8...Nf6 – Black completes kingside development and attacks e4, forcing White to defend it: Re1 will do so at once.
- 9.Re1 – The rook defends e4 and completes the a4, h3, Re1 set-up; White prepares Na3-c2 or Nbd2-f1.
How to exploit the position
The centre is in tension: White has more space and its pieces ready, Black holds e5 with queen, d6-pawn and c6-knight. Nobody has obvious weaknesses.
- a5 drives the bishop to a7, where it is less active on the diagonal.
- Na3-c2 or Nbd2-f1-g3: the b1-knight finds its square without blocking the c1-bishop.
- d5 closes the centre and drives away the c6-knight; Bg5 pins the f6-knight to the queen.
- If Black exchanges on d4, cxd4 gives the e4-d4 centre; with the rook on e1 the e4-pawn is always defended.
Master tips
The a4, h3, Re1 set-up
Against the ...Qe7, ...d6, ...Bb6 structure White takes squares away from Black's pieces before opening: a4 against the bishop, h3 against ...Bg4, Re1 for e4.