Chess opening · ECO C50
Italian Game: Giuoco Piano
In the Giuoco Piano, Black meets the Italian bishop with one of its own: 3...Bc5. Both bishops now aim at the opponent's f-pawn. White's main idea is to build a full pawn center with c3 and d4, gaining time on the c5 bishop. Slower plans with d3, and the b4 pawn offer known as the Evans Gambit, branch off here too.
- Rank by weighted share
- #61 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5
- 3... Bc5The bishop develops to c5, eyeing f2 the same way White's bishop eyes f7. It also keeps the d4 square under watch, which is why White often prepares d4 with c3 before pushing.
Why c3 comes before d4
With the pawn on c3, White can play d4 and answer ...exd4 with cxd4, keeping two pawns in the middle and hitting the c5 bishop. The c3 pawn also covers b4 and d4, two squares where Black's pieces would like to land.
Black's usual reply is 4...Nf6, attacking e4 so that White cannot push d4 at leisure.
The b4 offer
4.b4 gives up a pawn to deflect the c5 bishop. If Black takes, White follows with c3 and d4 and gains time against that bishop. This is the Evans Gambit, which has its own page.
The classical center and its isolated pawn
4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5
White builds the pawn duo on d4 and e4, Black checks and trades the dark-squared bishops, then strikes with ...d5. After the trades White is left with an isolated pawn on d4, and Black's knight sits on d5 right in front of it.
Top replies by rating
The quiet d3 leads below 1600, and c3 tops every band from 1600 up. From 1800 the b4 gambit climbs into the top three.
Questions
Is the Giuoco Piano a slow opening?
It can be. With d3 the game stays closed and slow, but with c3 and d4 the center opens early, and the b4 gambit leads to open lines and quick attacks.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.