Giuoco Pianissimo – Modern Main Line
The modern Pianissimo line: both sides develop without touching the centre. Black plays ...Ng4 against f2, takes the king off the b3-bishop's diagonal with ...Kh8 and breaks with ...f5; White defends with Re2 and brings the knight towards g3.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6 6.O-O a6 7.Bb3 Ba7 8.Re1 O-O 9.Nbd2 Ng4 10.Re2 Kh8 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nf1 f5
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...a6 – Black prepares the ...Ba7 retreat: that way the bishop cannot be chased by b4 or exchanged by Na4 or Be3.
- 7.Bb3 – A preventive retreat: the bishop avoids ...Na5 or ...b5 with tempo and stays on the a2-g8 diagonal against f7.
- 7...Ba7 – The bishop retreats to a7, where it is safe and keeps aiming at f2 along the a7-g1 diagonal.
- 8.Re1 – The rook defends e4 in advance, so the b1-knight can go to d2 and f1 without leaving the pawn weak; the b3-bishop is already safe from ...Na5.
- 8...O-O – Black castles; the king on g8 is now on the b3-bishop's diagonal, which affects the ...f5 advance.
- 9.Nbd2 – Starts the typical Pianissimo manoeuvre: the knight goes to d2, then to f1 and g3, from where it will control f5 and h5.
- 9...Ng4 – The knight attacks f2 together with the a7-bishop: it threatens ...Nxf2, because f2 is defended only by the king.
- 10.Re2 – The rook defends f2 along the second rank; e4 stays protected by d3 and the rook can return to e1 once the g4-knight leaves.
- 10...Kh8 – The king leaves the b3-bishop's diagonal: the f7 pawn is no longer pinned and Black can push ...f5.
- 11.h3 – White chases the g4-knight: it cannot stay and must choose between h6 and f6, less active squares.
- 11...Nh6 – The knight retreats to h6, from where it supports the ...f5 advance and can come back via f7.
- 12.Nf1 – The knight continues its journey towards g3, opens the c1-bishop's diagonal and protects h2.
- 12...f5 – The break prepared by ...Kh8: Black attacks e4 and opens the f-file, but weakens e6 and the diagonal towards his own king.
How to exploit the position
A closed manoeuvring position: Black has broken with ...f5 and attacks e4, but his king on h8 and knight on h6 are far from the centre. White has all his pieces ready to react.
- exf5 followed by Ng3: the knight attacks f5 and White gains the e4 square for his pieces.
- Bxh6 gxh6: the c1-h6 diagonal is open and the exchange ruins Black's kingside pawn structure.
- Be3 to exchange the a7-bishop, the black piece aiming at f2.
- d3-d4 when the pieces are ready: with the rook on e2 and the knight on g3 White opens the centre against the black king.
Master tips
Answer ...f5 by using the squares it leaves
The ...f5 push weakens e6 and the a2-g8 diagonal: after exf5 your pieces can use e4 and e6.