Major ideas and lines in the Italian Game for WHITE and BLACK. The Two Knight’s Defense, Giuoco Piano, Fried Liver Attack, Traxler Counterattack, Na5 lines and Evans Gambit are covered.
Follow along with the video with this PGN:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 (3… Nf6 4. Ng5 (4. d3) (4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5) 4… d5 (4… Bc5 5. Nxf7 (5. Bxf7+ Ke7) 5… Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+) 5. exd5 Nxd5 (5… Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 Be7 9. Bxc6+ Nxc6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qf3 O-O) 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6) (3… Be7 4. O-O Nf6 5. Ng5 O-O 6. Nxf7 Rxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7) 4. c3 (4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bxf6 (7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3) 7… Qxf6 8. Nd5 Qd8) (4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4) 4… Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 (7. Bd2 Bxd2+ (7… Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+) 8. Nbxd2) 7… Nxe4 8. O-O Nxc3 (8… Bxc3 9. bxc3 (9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 O-O 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 d6 14. Nxh7 Kxh7 15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. Rh4 f6) 9… d5) 9. bxc3 Bxc3 10. Qb3 Bxa1 11. Bxf7+ Kf8 12. Bg5 Ne7 13. Re1 *
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:57 – Be7 sideline
2:44 – Two Knight’s Defense
3:28 – Fried Liver Attack
4:17 – Na5 (Polerio Defense)
6:00 – Quiet d3
6:38 – Traxler Counterattack
7:30 – Nc3?
8:35 – Giuoco Piano
8:52 – Quiet Nc3
9:56 – Evans Gambit
10:25 – Classical, c3 (Main Line)
14:29 – Summary
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What's wrong with pawn to h6? It still stops the knight advance, it gives the king a backrank out and leaves bishop and knight options open. I'm no chess expert, I'm about 1625 on lichess at age72 I was 1780, play a few times a week, but now I analyze a position then forget what I had just specifically considered and make stupid moves directly after discounting them. Memory failing senior moments abound, but I always play the pawn move, it seems so obvious to me.
Nelson doesn’t say it explicitly, but I will. Don’t dabble in the Italian game. If you don’t know a lot of theory and your opponent does, you will get your ass kicked. It’s a fun way to play, and a window into the swashbuckling chess days of yore, just know what you are doing.
Basically don’t bother with the Italian opening as white
thank you for the great explanatory video
I thought this was “how to play the Italian” not “how to play against the Italian” 😭
Interesting video!
Giuoco is pronounced like joke-o 🙂
Dude, it seemed like you gave black more information than you gave white.
I love when you say, “and now we’re playing chess”
Super helpful! thanks a lot