Giuoco Piano – Passive 4...d6
By delaying ...Nf6 Black does not bother e4, and White builds the centre with d4 undisturbed. After ...Bb6, h3 and Nc3 White completes development with more space, but must know Black's resource ...Nxe4 followed by ...d5.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6 7.h3 Nf6 8.Nc3 O-O 9.O-O
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...d6 – Black supports e5 with a pawn but gives up the counterattack on e4 with ...Nf6: White can build the centre undisturbed.
- 5.d4 – White occupies the centre with tempo on the c5-bishop; with no knight on f6, the e4 pawn is not under attack.
- 5...exd4 – Black exchanges to give the bishop air, but in doing so hands White the classical e4-d4 centre.
- 6.cxd4 – White rebuilds the ideal e4-d4 centre with tempo on the c5-bishop.
- 6...Bb6 – The bishop retreats to a diagonal from where it presses on d4; with the pawn on d6, a ...Bb4+ check would no longer have the same effect on e4.
- 7.h3 – Takes the g4 square away from the c8-bishop: without ...Bg4 Black cannot pin the f3-knight, which defends d4.
- 7...Nf6 – The knight finally develops and attacks the e4 pawn.
- 8.Nc3 – The knight defends e4 and completes development; the black bishop is on b6 and can no longer pin it with ...Bb4.
- 8...O-O – Black castles and prepares ...Re8 against e4 or ...h6 to take g5 away from the white pieces.
- 9.O-O – White castles too: he has more space thanks to e4-d4, but must watch out for the ...Nxe4 followed by ...d5 trick.
How to exploit the position
White has the classical e4-d4 centre against the d6 pawn and more space; Black is solid and presses on d4 with Bb6 and Nc6.
- Protect e4: after ...Nxe4 Nxe4 d5 Black regains the piece with a pawn fork and frees his game; Re1 puts the rook on the central file and defends e4.
- Be3 neutralises the b6-bishop and protects d4; if Black takes on e3, fxe3 strengthens the centre and opens the f-file.
- The e4-e5 or d4-d5 pushes gain space with tempo on the f6- or c6-knight: choose the one that leaves the black pieces without good squares.
- Bg5 pins the f6-knight to the d8-queen and prepares Nd5 to increase the pressure.
Master tips
Beware the fork on d5
With pieces on c3 and c4 and a pawn on e4, always check whether ...Nxe4 followed by ...d5 regains the piece with a fork.