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The Italian Game

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missjessica77

Once again, as Uncle Yermo says, "Good time of day to you, my chess friends.".  Today, I want to talk about the Italian Game.  

1.)  e4, e5. 2.)  Nf3, Nc6. 3.)  Bc4.  

This opening has a reputation as a beginners opening or a "kids" opening.  More popular among higher level players is the Spanish Game, or Ruy Lopez, when White plays Bb5 on move 3.  However, as an adult amateur player, the sheer number of traps and counter-attacking chances that the Italian Game offers makes it my personal favorite opening and I use it almost exclusively in blitz chess.  In the Italian, White has potential to play the Fried Liver Attack, the Max Lange Attack, the Morphy Attack, the Deutz Gambit, the Evans Gambit, and plenty of other attacking lines that can really shock Black into making a mistake.  Behold one of my recent blitz games where I used the Italian, to great effect, against the passive and quite common(on amateur levels) Anti-Fried Liver Defense.  As always, any and all commentary/analysis is welcome.  

 



HorsesGalore

3.....h6 is a big time waster that especially Black, moving second, can not afford.    In a GM game, this position is already lost.    Your response 4 d4 to open up position is probably best.

4.....Na5 is another very bad move and you take advantage accordingly.   Well done !!

DrSpudnik

3...h6 = potzer move! I usually gambit with d4 & c3. Black doesn't have time to waste in the double King-pawn opening.

missjessica77
chessmicky wrote:

I'm pretty sure I played this identical game almost 40 years ago! In fact, I'll bet every experienced player of the Italian Game has played a near-twin. The combination of 3.h6 to waste time and weaken the h5 - e8 diagonal, followed by Na5 to waste even more time, take the only developed piece out of play and unprotect e5 is lethal.

I think most amateur players have played almost this exact same game.  It is instructive by showing that 3.) h6??  is a big mistake.  yet, i see it all the time... even by higher rated 1400-1500 ranked players in standard 15-10 games.

missjessica77

another line in the Italian Game that I have seen more often than I should....  I call this the "Jessica Mate" because I have found no other name for it.

1.) e4, e5.  2.) Nf3, Nc6.  3.)  Bc4, h6.  4.)  d4, exd4.  5.)  O-O, Bc5.  6.)  c3, dxc3.  7.)  Bf7+, Kxf7.  8.)  Qd5+, Kg6.  9.) Qf5#