With White: e4 and the Italian is lesson 1 of 2 in Your first repertoire, a strategy course suited to players rated around 760 (beginners). One opening for White that follows every rule you know: centre, knights, bishops, castle. It has 2 interactive exercises: 2 find-the-move puzzles. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
A repertoire is your own short list of openings. If you play the same few openings every game, you meet positions you know, and you can think about plans instead of memory. This set is simple on purpose. Every move in it follows the opening rules.
Black will not always answer with e5. Against c5, the Sicilian Defence, keep the same ideas. Bring out the knights and bishops, and castle. When you want a simple fixed plan, the Anti-Sicilians for White course shows you the Alapin, which starts with c3.
What you practise
Play the first three moves of the Italian Game. Start with the king's pawn, then a knight, then a bishop that aims at f7.
Black copied you with Bc5. Your simple plan is c3, then d4. The c3 pawn prepares d4, so you can build two pawns side by side in the centre.
Worked examples
Play the first three moves of the Italian Game. Start with the king's pawn, then a knight, then a bishop that aims at f7. This is the Italian Game. Your bishop aims at f7, your knight attacks e5, and you are ready to castle.
Black copied you with Bc5. Your simple plan is c3, then d4. The c3 pawn prepares d4, so you can build two pawns side by side in the centre. Good. Next comes d4, and if Black takes, you take back with the c-pawn. The Italian Game course teaches this plan in full.
chessGM