Playing against Italian when White doesn't play 4.c3

I am a beginner (ELO 1000) trying to improve how I play the Italian game when I am black. The lessons I have found all seem to assume that after

1. e4e52. Nf3Nc63. Bc4Bc5

white plays 4. c3.

In the 30 odd games I have played this opening as black, white has only played 4. c3 twice. Usually, it is d3 or 0-0.

What is the best response?

Lessons focus on c3 because it is a more forcing variation, as White is potentially intending to play d4 very quickly and for this reason it is important you respond ...Nf6, no other move will do.

Moves like O-O and d3 are less challenging, but you can still play Nf6, it's just that other options like d6 are equally good, so it really doesn't matter what you play as long as it's a reasonable move. Openings like the Italian get too nebulous for concrete theory quickly in many lines, which is why masters like playing them.

There are three main schemes, as I see it, that White can play after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5.

A) Play a kind of Spanish (Ruylopez) setup with the inclusion of c3 and d3. This is the most popular way of playing for White nowadays.

All three moves you mentioned, 4. c3, 4. d3, and 4. 0-0, are good moves and usually transpose into each other in this Spanish. After 4. c3, there are mainly two ways to play as White, with d3 or d4 on the next move. But I think you are already familiar with that, since you mentioned that the lessons you found all seem to assume that after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5, 4. c3 is the main move. So pretty much you can follow what you have learned, after d3 or 0-0.

B) Play with 4. c3 and 5. d4, as in 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4, with a completely different way of playing. This was popular in the 19th century and is the second most popular choice nowadays.

C) 4. b4 is the third most popular choice, called the Evans Gambit. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4

D) 4. Nc3, the Canal Variation, is also a different way to play as White. For example, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5. As Black you can develop normally.

E) At your level, you might also see 4. d4?!

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4.
   The safest move for Black, in my opinion, is to take with the Bishop. Otherwise, it can transpose into different openings. For example,1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4 exd4 5. c3 leads to a kind of Scotch Game or Gambit position, with some traps for White.

Strayaningen - "Openings like the Italian get too nebulous for concrete theory quickly in many lines, which is why masters like playing them." Yes, I sort of got that from what I have seen so far. I know that asking "What is the best response?" is looking for too specific an answer for the Italian. I'll work on understanding the ideas, rather than memorising lines.

Isurantha, you've given me a lot to digest, thanks. I'll work through this in the next day or two.

Thanks, both of you, for the advice.

I just play the Blackburn shilling

Hopefully you don't abort the game after 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0.

Just get your pieces out: Nf6, d6, h6 to stop Bg5, maybe ...a6-a5 to preserve the Bc5 against a knight attack, castle and finally ...Be6 to neutralize the annoying Bc4 (the doubled e pawns rarely are an issue).

Are there any subtleties? Sure, a lot of them. But they are hardly something to worry about at beginner level.

This is just a trap, and it is a famous one among beginners. If White knows the correct reply, which is quite likely, Black is in trouble. As @pfren mentioned, White can take the Knight and 0-0. Then I think White can later play c3, and if Black takes on c3, White can recapture on c3 with the d-pawn, opening the other Bishop as well, and Black will be far behind in development.

everyone ? ...listen to im friend. hes sooperdooper strong in the e4 e5 complex. i played him once w/the black pieces. we got into a endgame pawn race & i guess i counted better than him.

We have never played a single game.

I guess you can't recall so well, and this was the first of your 14-game winning streak against Magnus Carlsen.

ohh yes we DID ! ...i came offa boat and me & my boyfriend (at the time) accidentally walked into this one tournament. i think it was by that one seaside town. kavala ? i wuz maybe 25 ? wow that wuz along time ago ! it wuzza quick skittles game & u kinda flirted with me but ur english wuz kinda weird. but i gottit. i think u let me win u. it wuzza pawn race. i gotta queen & u conceded.

...u have a memory like a fly lol !