Giuoco Pianissimo – a4 and the a2-g8 Diagonal
White plays a4 before castling, then pins the f6-knight with Bg5. Black challenges the c4-bishop with ...Be6 and White replies Nbd2, ready to recapture on c4 with the knight.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6 6.a4 a5 7.O-O O-O 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Be6 10.Nbd2
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.d3 – The Giuoco Pianissimo: White protects e4 and postpones the central fight; d3-d4 will come later, after c3 and full development.
- 4...Nf6 – Black develops the knight and attacks e4, now protected by d3; he prepares kingside castling.
- 5.c3 – Prepares d4 and gives the c4-bishop a retreat to b3 or c2 if Black plays ...Na5; it also takes d4 away from the c6-knight.
- 5...d6 – Black reinforces e5 and opens the c8-bishop's diagonal: he too chooses a solid, flexible structure.
- 6.a4 – White pushes a4 before castling: it prevents ...b5 and makes the ...a6-Ba7 plan less comfortable for Black.
- 6...a5 – Black stops a4-a5 and secures b4, but the b5 square becomes a possible outpost for the white bishop.
- 7.O-O – White castles: with a4 and c3 already played he can choose between Bg5, Re1 or Nbd2.
- 7...O-O – Black castles; the position is symmetrical and closed, and the plans will revolve around d5 and f5.
- 8.Bg5 – The bishop pins the f6-knight to the queen and adds pressure on d5, the central square White wants to control.
- 8...h6 – Black asks the bishop to choose between exchanging on f6 and retreating to h4.
- 9.Bh4 – White keeps the pin: if Black pushes ...g5, his castling pawns are weakened.
- 9...Be6 – Black challenges the c4-bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal, which is White's real asset in this line.
- 10.Nbd2 – White develops and defends c4 with the knight: after ...Bxc4, Nxc4 puts the knight on an excellent square aiming at e5 and b6.
How to exploit the position
A closed, symmetrical position: White has the b5 square thanks to the a4-a5 pawns and the pin from h4; Black contests the a2-g8 diagonal with ...Be6.
- If ...Bxc4, Nxc4 puts the knight on an excellent square aiming at e5 and b6.
- Bxe6 fxe6 followed by Qb3: the queen attacks e6 and b7 together.
- Bb5 occupies the outpost supported by a4 and presses on the c6-knight, which defends e5.
- If Black pushes ...g5 against the h4-bishop, Bg3 and then a knight heading for f5 exploit the weakened squares.
Master tips
Bxe6 fxe6 opens the diagonal for the queen
If you exchange on e6 and Black recaptures with the pawn, Qb3 attacks e6 and b7 along the reopened diagonals.