White's plan
- 01 Prepare d4 with c3 or Re1.
- 02 Castle before starting a kingside attack.
- 03 Use the c4 bishop to pressure f7.
C50–C59 Open games
Italian Game
White develops quickly toward the kingside and prepares the central d4 break.
Best for
A clear first 1.e4 opening for players who want open positions, quick development, and attacking chances.
Study map
Start with one line, then add nearby branches.
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01Italian GameC50 · 3 movesnew02Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver DefenseC50 · 3 movesnew03Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić GambitC50 · 3 movesnew04Italian Game: Giuoco PianoC50 · 3 movesnew05Italian Game: Hungarian DefenseC50 · 3 movesnew
Browse all 184 lines
Open the catalogue only when you need a specific branch.
Two Knights Defense46 lines
Classical Variation42 lines
Evans Gambit41 lines
Scotch Gambit14 lines
Giuoco Piano10 lines
Evans Gambit Declined9 lines
Giuoco Pianissimo9 lines
Hungarian Defense2 lines
Anti-Fried Liver Defense1 lines
Mix the variations
Practice changing book replies after you know at least 2 lines.
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Black's plan
- 01 Challenge the center with ...Nf6 and ...d5.
- 02 Castle before chasing the c4 bishop.
- 03 Use ...a6 and ...Ba7 only when the center is stable.
Position fingerprint
The squares that explain the opening
The c4 bishop points at f7, while d4 is White's main pawn break and d5 is Black's equalizing break.
Keep the position healthy
Practical habits
- Complete development before moving the same attacker twice.
- Prepare d4 so the center opens on your terms.