After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 White's bishop aims straight at f7, the weakest square in Black's camp. You learn the classical c3 + d4 centre, the slow modern d3 plan, the Evans Gambit, and how to meet the Two Knights and the Hungarian Defence. This is a beginner opening course for White (ECO C50) with 6 variations and 3 traps, written for players rated around 900. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of Italian Game
The bishop on c4 targets f7: tactics with Ng5, Qb3 or Bxf7+ appear whenever Black neglects that square.
Prepare d4 with c3 so that after ...exd4 you can recapture with the c-pawn and keep two pawns in the centre.
In the slow d3 lines, play a4 (gaining space and making room for the bishop on a2), Re1, h3 and Nbd2-f1-g3 before breaking with d4.
Castle early and use the e-file: Re1 supports e4 and later the e5 push.
If Black's dark-squared bishop sits on c5, b4 and d4 gain time by hitting it, as in the Evans Gambit.
Variations you learn
Giuoco Piano: 4.c3 and 5.d4 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 …. The classical plan: c3 and d4 build a big centre. After the exchanges on d4 and d2, White gets an isolated d-pawn but very active pieces, a queen on b3 and play down the e-file.
Giuoco Pianissimo: 4.c3 and 5.d3 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 …. The modern top-level choice: White keeps the centre closed with d3, gains space with a4, and manoeuvres (Re1, h3, Nbd2) before choosing between d4 and a queenside expansion with b4.
Evans Gambit – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 …. White sacrifices the b-pawn to play c3 and d4 with tempo. In this line (Kasparov-Anand, Riga 1995) Black returns to e7 and White gets a space advantage with e5 and quick kingside pressure.
Two Knights Defence: 4.Ng5 main line – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 …. White attacks f7 at once with 4.Ng5. Black must give a pawn with 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5, getting quick development and space in return. White keeps the extra pawn and must untangle carefully.
Two Knights Defence: 4.d3 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. O-O O-O …. The quiet approach: White defends e4 with d3 and plays a Ruy Lopez-style structure with c3, Re1 and Nbd2-f1-g3.
Hungarian Defence: 3...Be7 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 d6 5. d5 Nb8 …. Black avoids all Italian tactics with 3...Be7. White takes extra central space with 4.d4 and 5.d5, reaching a comfortable King's Indian-reversed structure.
Traps
Legal's Mate – Black pins the f3 knight to the queen with ...Bg4, but the pin is not real: White plays Nxe5 anyway, and if Black grabs the queen, Bxf7+ and Nd5 deliver mate with three minor pieces.
Two Knights: 4...h6? 5.Nxf7 – After 4.Ng5 Black must defend f7 with 4...d5. The tempting 4...h6, kicking the knight, is too slow: 5.Nxf7 forks queen and rook and wins the exchange and a pawn.
Blackburne Shilling Gambit (warning) – A warning for White: after 3...Nd4 the e5 pawn looks free, but 4.Nxe5? Qg5! hits the knight and g2 and leads to a smothered mate if White is greedy. Simply play 4.Nxd4 or 4.O-O and Black's knight move is just a lost tempo.
The line trainer
The line trainer for Italian Game has 50 lines that grow out of 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4, learned a few new ones a day with spaced-repetition review.
chessGM