Giuoco Piano – Steinitz Variation 7.Kf1
With 7.Kf1 White avoids the bishop exchange. After 7...Nxe4 8.d5 Ne7 the queen reaches d4 with a triple attack on b4, e4 and g7. White regains material but will then have to sort out his uncastled king.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Kf1 Nxe4 8.d5 Ne7 9.Qd4
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...Nf6 – Counterattack on e4: Black develops and exploits the fact that c3 has taken away the natural defence Nc3.
- 5.d4 – White carries out the plan: d4 attacks e5 and the c5-bishop and challenges Black to give up the centre.
- 5...exd4 – The most common reply: Black gives up e5 and exchanges on d4, so White must recapture with the c-pawn and the c5-bishop is attacked again.
- 6.cxd4 – White gets the ideal e4-d4 centre and attacks the c5-bishop, which has to move.
- 6...Bb4+ – The most active check: instead of retreating, the bishop forces White to block, and if the knight comes to c3 it is pinned, preparing ...Nxe4.
- 7.Kf1 – The Steinitz Variation: the king steps aside to avoid exchanges and pins; it gives up castling and leaves the e4 pawn undefended.
- 7...Nxe4 – Black takes the e4 pawn, left undefended after the king move.
- 8.d5 – White attacks the c6-knight and gains space: instead of regaining the pawn at once, he drives the black pieces from the centre.
- 8...Ne7 – The knight retreats to e7; now the black pieces on b4 and e4 are advanced and neither is protected.
- 9.Qd4 – A double attack: the centralised queen hits the b4-bishop, the e4-knight and the g7 pawn.
How to exploit the position
The d4-queen attacks three targets (b4, e4, g7) and White regains material; in return his king on f1 has lost castling rights. The position remains open and sharp.
- Regain material with the queen (on b4, e4 or g7) only after checking replies that attack it, such as ...Nf5.
- The d5 pawn takes c6 and e6 away from the e7-knight and restricts the c8-bishop.
- Without castling, the king finds shelter with g3 and Kg2, while the h1-rook comes to e1.
- Nc3 (the c3 square is free) develops with a new attack on the e4-knight.
Master tips
An uncastled king needs a plan
After Kf1 plan g3 and Kg2 to secure the king and activate the h1-rook.