1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4

The Italian Game is one of the twelve openings described in the Gottingen Manuscript of c. 1500, making it one of the oldest recorded chess openings. Nf3 and Nc6 are logical developing moves, bringing the knights into play and first attacking, then defending black’s pawn at e5; several openings begin with this sequence. The distinguishing move of the Italian Game is 3. Bc4; white develops the king’s bishop to a square where it attacks black’s weak point at f7.

Black has two main replies available. 3… Nf6 is called the Two Knights’ Defence, but it’s really more of a counterattack than a defence, and it can lead to very sharp variations like the Traxler Counterattack or the wonderfully named Fried Liver Attack. But the classical reply to the Italian Game is 3… Bc5, an opening generally known as the Giuoco Piano, the “Quiet Game”. That’s perhaps a misnomer, for while there are quiet, positional variations (like the Giuoco Pianissimo, 4. d3), there are also aggressive variations like the Max Lange Attack or the Evans Gambit. In the main line, white plays 4. c3, preparing to push the queen’s pawn to d4 and establish a strong centre. In conclusion, the Italian Game is a land of contrasts.