HOW TO DESTROY THE OPPONENT WITH THE ITALIAN GAMBIT

THE ITALIAN GAMBIT

The Italian Gambit is, as you might well guess, a variant of the Italian game which, although considered inferior by White (in fact, this is the critical variant of the Italian game), in my opinion, is a variant worth knowing well. It is a powerful attack in the center; it is characterized by the moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4. Let's take a closer look at it!

4. ... Nxd4

This is a better move for Black, because after Axd4 the knight can capture the bishop, an exchange that favors White. Obviously, this move aims to capture the opponent's pawn. At this point, White can respond in two different ways: 5. Be3 or 5.b4; I recommend b4 because the pawn may seem to be in danger, but there is a trick behind this that I will explain shortly.

5. ... Bb6!
Bb6! is arguably the best defensive move here, as Black moves his bishop to a square that doesn't get in the way of his activity, unlike Bd6 Be7 or even worse Bf8. The answer to this move, a sign of so much study, is 6. a4! , to control the queenside and push pawns A and B to attack Black's dark-squared bishop.   At this point the answer is almost forced: 6. ... A5! in order to be able to give the bishop a way out; d5!? has also been tested to try to counterattack the white bishop, but I do not recommend it because it simply arrives 7. exd5 and White remains with a slight advantage.

5. ... d5?!

This is also an attempt to counterattack the bishop, but it does not work, because it is immediately followed by the sequence 6. bxc5 Nxf3+ 7. Qxf3 dxc4 8. Qg3, where White is attacking both the pawn and the g pawn. Another interesting variation is 6. bxc5 dxc4?! 7. Nxe5; after this pawn exchange, White has regained the pawn, and the other variation prevents exactly this scenario.

5. ... Bxb4+??

This is a huge mistake that should absolutely not be made, because the fork 6. c3! follows, and there’s little to explain about the rest of the variation ... Just kidding!!! Because in the case of 6. ... Ba5! one must capture the pawn to attack the f7 square, and especially because the white pawn is pinned.

4. ... Bxd4

Bxd4 is obviously a capture, but slightly inferior, because it gives up a bishop for a knight, but it is still not too bad. The white's response is the most natural: 5. Nxd4.

5. ... Nxd4

Nxd4 is the best response for Black because it does not double the pawns. After this move, there are two variants: the quiet one and the provocative one.

• "The quit way": that is, the best variant: 6. Be3! And after the move 6. ... Nc6 one can play 7. Qh5 to provoke the opponent and prepare for a long castle, then later play 8. Nc3, to have a slow and calm game without an almost immediate middlegame.
• "The provocative way": a very dangerous and razor-thin variant: 6. f4!? and in this case I have to explain variant after variant:

6. ... exf4 ??

In this case, the opponent has fallen into the trap (rather obvious), since with this move they leave their knight under attack, which was previously defended by their pawn, and the obvious move 7. Qxd4! can be played, also attacking the g pawn, known for its vulnerability after the bishop is moved.

6. ... d5!

this, on the other hand, is a more balanced position because the bishop is attacked. Attention!!! The only good move is 7. exd5!

• 7. ... Dh4+

This move hypothetically serves to take the f pawn, but we can easily prevent it: 8.g3!

8. ... Qh3

It's an interesting move by Black, aimed at preventing the short castle, but the most suitable response is 9. Bf1! The subsequent variation is 9. ... Qf5 (which further threatens square c) 10. Na3!, to defend it.

• 7. ... Qe7 !?

Qe7 threatens to gain material, for example after 8. Nc3? black can play 8. ... exf4+! 9. Kf1 material is lost along with the castling. The move 8. O-O must be played to avoid the discovered attack I mentioned. It is followed by an almost forced variation: 8. ... Qc5 9. Na3 Nb5+ 10. Rh1 and at this point there is a complex position where black could easily make mistakes, furthermore white is doing well positionally.

5. ... exd4

This is the worst move for Black between the two, because it gives two pawns on the d-file, which is not very good. White simply needs to respond with 6. O-O. After the most logical and best move 6. ... Nge7 (6. ... Nf6? 7. e5!), just playing the simple move 7. Nd2 allows them to play either Nf3 or Nb3.

4. ... exd4

The move exd4 is not very good, because it doubles the d pawns, as in the previous variation. This opening is called 'Scottish Game: Scottish Gambit, Haxo Countergambit' - a rather long name... The best response is 5.c3 to attack the black d pawn.

5. ... Nf6

The name of this variation is central attack and it obviously serves to attack the center. The best move in this case is 6. e5!, to counterattack the black bishop and to occupy the center to cause disturbance. The move for black is almost forced: 6. ... d5! and white must absolutely play 7. Be2. In this situation, there are so many moves that I will list them one by one below:

7. ... Ne4!

This move serves to save the knight while centralizing it, making it more active. The best response is 8. cxe4, a move that will often occur in these variations listed. 8. ... Ab6 is the usual and best response from Black. 9. O-O and here we end up in an equal endgame.

7. ... d3

This is a risky but balanced variation because after 8. exf6! dxe2! 9. Qxe2+ Rf8 10. fxg7+ Rxg7 11. O-O, White regains the advantage.

7. ... Ng8!?

This is not at all a good move because it blocks the castling and allows the move 8. b4! to trouble the bishop; 8. ... Bb6 9. b5 Na5 10. cxd4! and Black is not doing well.

7. ... Nd7?

!In this case, instead, one should play 8. cxd4! to strengthen the pawn, attack the bishop, and gain a pawn.

7. ... Ng4?

Here too, one must play the same move as in Nd7 (cxd4).

7. ... Nh5?

This move is a mistake simply because it hinders the activity of the Black knight ; you must play 8. O-O

7. ... dxc3??

In this situation, there was no worse move than this, but if Black goes crazy over the overly complex position, they might make a mistake like that. The next move must be 8. exf6!

7. ... Ab6??

As with dxc3, the same story.

5. ... d3

This is an inferior variant because it simply loses a pawn, but be careful!! White must play 6. b4 to take full advantage of his lead!

6. ... Bb6

As we have already discovered, this is a crucial move in the Italian gambit, in fact, it is the best move and as you may already know, you must play 7. a4 and after 7. ... a6 comes 8. Bxd3.

6. ... Bf8?!

After 7. b5 by White, there is simply a big advantage: Black moves the knight twice in the opening and has only developed that knight.

6. ... Bd6?

A terrible mistake by Black, as they prevent themselves from moving the pawn to d. For White, however, the right move is to play 7. O-O and then capture the pawn on d.

5. ... dxc3??

This is a terrible move, because it allows the brilliant move 6. Bxf7!! After 6. ... Kxf7, it goes 7. Qd5+ and wins a pawn.