Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3
Giuoco Pianissimo
1.2.3.4.
What Is The Giuoco Pianissimo?
4.d3 keeps the centre closed instead of striking at it. You defend e4, keep the bishop on c4 aimed at f7, and avoid 4.d4 exd4, which trades pieces and opens lines too early. The point is to play d4 later as one prepared push, so you arrive at the break with every piece already in place.
White's standard build-up is c3, Bb3, 0-0, h3 to stop ...Bg4, and Nbd2-f1-g3, routing the knight to a kingside square before opening the centre. Black mirrors it with ...d6, ...a6, ...Ba7 and ...Ne7. Quiet does not mean drawn: the side who lands d4 or ...d5 under better circumstances takes over, and the player who drifts without a break gets squeezed.
What Do Players Choose At The Decision Point?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| c3 | 28% | 2,763 | |
| O-O | 21% | 2,126 | |
| d3 | 21% | 2,124 | |
| Nc3 | 12% | 1,195 |
The Named Lines Of The Giuoco Pianissimo
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Lucchini Gambit | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 f5 |
| Normal | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 |
| Italian Four Knights Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 |
| Dubois Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 f5 5.Ng5 f4 |
| Canal Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 |