Giuoco Piano

This is one of the two main branches of the Italian game. Black develops their kingside bishop ahead of the knight: this move order keeps control of g5 until Black is ready to castle. Compared to the Two Knights defence (3...Nf6), where Black develops while making an attack on e4, this is considered the slower and more positional continuation, hence the name which in Italian means "quiet game".

White chooses between two sorts of plans: to get their pawn to d4, or to content themselves with d3 (the hallmark move of the giuoco pianissimo, "very quiet game").

Currently Black controls d4 three times and White twice, so White will need to wrestle for control of the square first if they wish to play d4 and keep it there.

4. d4!? immediately is the Italian or Rosentreter gambit. White gambits the pawn and can lose it one of three ways: 4...exd4, 4...Bxd4, or 4...Nxd4. White usually pins their hopes on turning around a quick attack on the weak f7 pawn, e.g. 4...exd4 5. c3 dxc3? 6. Bxf7+! Kxf7 7. Qd5+!--but otherwise the gambit is not quite sound.

4. c3 is the classical variation. This adds control to the d4 square and so prepares for White to occupy it with their d-pawn. After 4...Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 (Black's bishop is attacked) Bb4+ the modern main line is 7. Bd2, and Black chooses between 7...Bxd2+ or 7...Nxe4, the latter of which doesn't really win a pawn on account of a tactical sequence involving Bxf2+: 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ Kf8 11. Qxb4+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7⩱.

This endgame might be why the line with 6. cxd4 has fallen out of favor, so more common nowadays is 6. e5, which attacks the knight on f6, and gains space. Black almost responds with 6...d5, in which the game usually continues 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6, with a slight advantage to White.

Alternatively, White may also play 6. b4!?, known as the Dubov Italian, popularized by GM Daniil Dubov. Though this line is considered somewhat dubious, it can serve as a venomous weapon if Black isn't prepared.

Alternatively, c3 can serve as a springboard for b4: 4...Nf6 5. b4!? is called Bird's attack.

4. b4 is the Evan's gambit. This first deflects the bishop to b4, allowing White to play c3 with tempo on the bishop. This line was hugely popular in the 19th century.

White doesn't have to push for d4 right away. They may be happy with the solid d3: it supports e4 and is enough to allow the queen's bishop to develop. It also allows White's knight to reach the active c3 square. The key feature of the giuoco pianissimo is d3, whether it is played immediately 4. d3 or after castling 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 or developing the knight 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3, etc.

The most common line today is for White to play with pawns on both c3 and d3 (after 4. d3 Nf6 5. c3 or in the order 4. c3 Nf6 d3) which is the most concrete continuation.

4. Bxf7+? is the unhinged Jerome gambit. Though a Bxf7+ sacrifice works in many lines in the Italian, this is far too early and it is objectively woeful for White. However, it is sharp enough that White has some success at the club level. The idea is 4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+, and White hopes that between Black's exposed king and the skewering of Black's pieces on the fifth rank they will swindle compensation. e.g. 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Qxe5 d6?? (better is Qe7∓) 8. Qxh8±.

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5

When contributing to this Wikibook, please follow the Conventions for organization.

Wikipedia has related information at Giuoco Piano.

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.