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C50-C59

Italian Game

187 named lines in this family, ECO C50-C59. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6

Giuoco Piano, Holzhausen AttackC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. d4 Bxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Bg5 d6 8. f4 Qe7 9. fxe5 dxe5 10. Nc3

The structure hands White the half-open f-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it. The quiet game is a slow build: c3 prepares d4, Black holds the e5 point, and piece placement decides an even middlegame.

Giuoco Piano, Steinitz VariationC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3 d5 10. Ba3

The structure hands White the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Giuoco Piano, Bernstein VariationC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxc3 10. Qb3 d5

The e-file is fully open.

Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Bayonet AttackC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. g4

The structure hands White the half-open c-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade. The c4 bishop eyes f7 and both sides castle fast; the real fight starts when White engineers c3 and d4 and Black must decide how to meet the centre. Black's knight on e7 is pinned against the king.

Giuoco Piano, Krause VariationC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ d5 11. Ne5+ Kf6 12. f3

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the f-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Giuoco Piano, Therkatz-Herzog VariationC54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 O-O 14. Nxh7

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the h-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Two Knights Defense, through 3... Nf6C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6

Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening, through 4. d3C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3

Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening, after 4... Be7C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7

Two Knights Defense, after 4. Nc3C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5

The structure hands White the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening, after 4... h6C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 h6 5. O-O d6

Two Knights Defense, after 4. O-OC55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. d4 Bxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Bg5 d6

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Two Knights Defense, Open VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Scotch Invitation DeclinedC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 d6

Scotch GambitC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Two Knights Defense, Perreux VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Ng5

Scotch Gambit, Double Gambit AcceptedC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4

Scotch Gambit, Janowski DefenseC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O d6

Scotch Gambit, Max Lange Attack, after 3. d4C56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5

Scotch Gambit, de Riviere DefenseC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7

Scotch Gambit, Nakhmanson GambitC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3

Scotch Gambit, Walbrodt-Baird GambitC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. O-O

Two Knights Defense, Max Lange AttackC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5

Scotch Gambit, Max Lange Attack, after 3. Bc4C56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4

Scotch Gambit, Max Lange Attack, Spielmann DefenseC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 Ng4

Scotch Gambit, Canal VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Nc3

Black's knight on e4 is pinned against the king.

Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Krause VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 Ng4 7. c3

Scotch Gambit, Anderssen AttackC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3

Scotch Gambit, Max Lange Attack AcceptedC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. fxg7

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the g-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Two Knights Defense, Keidansky VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9. Kf1 Qh4

Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Loman DefenseC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O Nf6 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 g6

Black's bishop on e6 is pinned against the king.

Scotch Gambit, Anderssen Attack, Main LineC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bd2 Qd5 11. Bg5

Scotch Gambit, Max Lange Attack, Long VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4

White has doubled pawns on the f-file.

Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Rubinstein VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4 Bf8

Two Knights Defense, Yurdansky AttackC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Nf6+ Ke7 13. b4

Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Berger VariationC56

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. g4 Qg6 12. Nce4 Bb6 13. f4 O-O-O

Kings castle on opposite wings - expect pawn storms racing at both kings.

Two Knights Defense, Knight AttackC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5

Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Two Knights Defense, Ponziani-Steinitz GambitC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Nxe4

Two Knights Defense, Traxler CounterattackC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5

Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice LineC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+

The structure hands Black the half-open f-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice LineC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7

Two Knights Defense, Fritz VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nd4

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as Black's avenue and the e-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Two Knights Defense, Kloss GambitC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nb4

Two Knights Defense, Ulvestad VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5

Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver AttackC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7

Two Knights Defense, Lolli AttackC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. d4

Two Knights Defense, Traxler Variation, Trencianske-Teplice GambitC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. d4

Two Knights Defense, Pincus VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. d4 Bb4+

Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, King March LineC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7. Ke3

The f-file is fully open.

Two Knights Defense, Ulvestad Variation, Kurkin GambitC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5 6. Bf1 h6 7. Nxf7

White has doubled pawns on the d-file.

Two Knights Defense, Fritz, Gruber VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nd4 6. c3 b5 7. Bf1 Nxd5 8. Ne4

Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt VariationC57

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 Nb4 9. Qe4 c6 10. a3 Na6 11. d4 Nc7

Two Knights Defense, Polerio DefenseC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5

Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bishop Check LineC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+

Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Kieseritzky VariationC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. d3

Two Knights Defense, after 4. Ng5C58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Be2

Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bogoljubow VariationC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3

Black's pawn on c6 is pinned against the king.

Two Knights Defense, Blackburne VariationC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 cxb5

Black comes out of the line with the bishop pair.

Two Knights Defense, Colman VariationC58

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 Rb8

Lines 121–180 of 187 — page 3 of 4.

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