The Italian Game starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 and aims the bishop at the weakest square in the Black camp, f7. It is the most natural way to learn classical development: knights before bishops, castle early, fight for the centre with c3 and d4.
Key ideas
1The bishop on c4 targets f7, the only square defended solely by the king.
2Play c3 and d3 (or d4) to build a solid centre before starting any attack.
3Castle early; the king on g1 is safe and the rook joins the game on e1.
4The slow "Giuoco Pianissimo" set-up keeps pieces on the board and lets you outplay opponents later.
5Watch for tactics against f7 and f2 in both directions: the same weakness exists in your own camp.
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About this opening
Most players meet 1.e4 e5 for the first time with the Italian, and for good reason. Three moves put a knight on f3 and a bishop on c4, both looking at the centre and at f7. Nothing is sacrificed and nothing is hidden, which is what a first opening for White should be.
What you will learn
01Reach the Giuoco Pianissimo set-up with c3, d3, O-O and Re1 in the right order.
02Answer 3...Nf6 two ways: the quiet 4.d3 and the direct 4.Ng5 against f7.
03Play the Evans Gambit 4.b4 and know what the pawn buys: time against the bishop and a centre built with c3 and d4.
The main line
The line runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 a6. Both sides take the centre, bring a knight out before a bishop, and aim the bishops at the weak f-pawns. 4.c3 is the move that makes it an Italian: it prepares d4 and gives the bishop a hiding place on c2 if Black ever plays ...Na5.
5.d3 is the quiet choice. White castles and puts the rook on e1 so e4 is covered before the centre opens. Black copies and plays 7...a6 to stop Nb5 and give the c5 bishop a retreat on a7. Nothing has been traded; the middlegame is about who regroups better.
Two things go wrong in beginner games. 5.d4 at once opens the centre before either king has castled and leads into sharp lines this page does not teach. And f2 gets treated as safe: the bishop on c5 looks at it the way yours looks at f7.
How to practise it
Step through the Giuoco Pianissimo twice in the Learn tab, reading the note on each move. Then open Drill and play White's seven moves from memory. Move on to the Two Knights lines once the main line comes out clean twice in a row. Each line gets its own review date.
Yes. The pieces go to natural squares, the same set-up works against most Black replies, and it is usually the first opening taught for White.
What is the main line of the Italian Game?
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1, the Giuoco Pianissimo. The sharper options are the Evans Gambit 4.b4 and 4.Ng5 against the Two Knights.