Giuoco Pianissimo – Knight Outpost on f5

A typical Pianissimo structure: White plays Re1, Nbd2 and h3 and brings the knight to f1, ready for g3 and f5. Black completes development with ...a6, ...Ba7 and ...Be6, challenging the c4-bishop.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 a6 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.h3 Be6 10.Nf1

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.O-O – White castles before choosing a plan: the rook can go to e1 and the king is off the c5-bishop's diagonal.
6...O-O – Black castles and completes kingside development; the position is closed and neither side is in a hurry to break in the centre.
7.Re1 – With both kings castled, the rook goes to e1 to defend e4: this is the prelude to the Nbd2-f1-g3 manoeuvre, which brings the knight towards f5.
7...a6 – Here too Black prepares ...Ba7 to preserve the bishop against b4 or d4 pushes with tempo.
8.Nbd2 – The knight develops to d2 on its way to f1 and g3; the e1-rook holds e4.
8...Ba7 – The bishop takes shelter on a7 and keeps the pressure on f2.
9.h3 – Takes g4 away from the c8-bishop and the f6-knight: no ...Bg4 pin and no ...Ng4 jump against f2.
9...Be6 – Black offers the exchange of light-squared bishops to remove the piece aiming at f7.
10.Nf1 – White continues the manoeuvre towards g3 and f5; if Black exchanges on c4, dxc4 gives White the d-file and control of d5.

How to exploit the position

A closed, symmetrical position: White has more flexibility thanks to the knight manoeuvre and the h3 pawn; Black challenges the c4-bishop with ...Be6.

Ng3 and then Nf5: the knight occupies f5, close to the black king.
If ...Bxc4, dxc4 gives White the half-open d-file and control of d5, with the queen able to go to e2 or d3.
Be3 to exchange the a7-bishop and remove the pressure on f2.
Later d3-d4: with Re1, Ng3 and Be3 White opens the centre on the best terms.

Master tips

A knight on f5 is worth the time

A knight on f5 attacks g7, h6, d6 and e7: if Black cannot chase it with a pawn, it becomes a dominant piece.