Italian Game: Classical Variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3
What Is The Classical Variation?
White's 4.c3 has one purpose: prepare d4 and seize the full center. The bishop on c4 already stares at f7, so c3 turns the quiet Italian into a race, White building pawns on d4 and e4 while Black hurries to strike back. Black cannot sit still: after 4...Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4, the check 6...Bb4+ is the main line, hitting back before White's center rolls forward.
Games here are decided by tempo. When the center rolls and the attack on f7 lands first, White wins in twenty moves; when the d5 break comes in time and the center overextends, Black picks it apart. Learn the 6...Bb4+ line cold, because White's sharpest attacking tries answer that check.
How Do You Play Against The Italian Game: Classical Variation?
You are Black, and 53% reply 4...Nf6 with 31% preferring 4...d6. White has played c3, which means d4 is coming next and the centre is about to open whether you like it or not.
4...Nf6 is the active choice precisely because it attacks e4 and makes White prove the centre push works. After 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ you get a check that forces White to resolve the position, and the resulting isolated or hanging pawns give you something concrete to play against. 4...d6 is solid and passive. White scores 52% to 44% over 2,855 games, so the active line is worth the theory.
What Do Players Choose At The Decision Point?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| c3 | 28% | 3,353 | |
| d3 | 21% | 2,564 | |
| O-O | 21% | 2,542 | |
| Nc3 | 12% | 1,439 |
How Does Play Continue From Here?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 53% | 1,837 | |
| d6 | 31% | 1,071 | |
| h6 | 4% | 151 | |
| a6 | 3% | 106 |
The Named Lines Of The Classical Variation
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Closed Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 |
| Center Attack | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.Re1 Ba7 |
| Albin Gambit | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.c3 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Nbd2 a6 |
| with d5 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d5 |
| Center Holding Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 Bb6 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, Albin Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.b4 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, with a5 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 a5 6.c3 |
| Mestel Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 Bb6 6.Bg5 |
| Greco Gambit, Dubov Italian | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.b4 |
| Greco Gambit, Modern Line | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, with h6 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 h6 |
| Greco Gambit, Traditional Line | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 |
| La Bourdonnais Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6 |
| Eisinger Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 Bb6 6.d5 Nb8 7.d6 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, with a4 a5 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.a4 a5 |
| Greco Gambit, Anderssen Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ |
| Tarrasch Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 Bb6 6.O-O d6 7.a4 a6 8.h3 Nf6 9.Re1 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, Main Line | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 a6 8.Bb3 Ba7 9.h3 |