Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, a6

Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with …a6

Definition

The line commonly referred to as the “Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with …a6” is a modern-fashioned branch of the Italian Opening. The full move order usually begins 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. c3 d6 6. O-O a6. Black’s sixth move, …a6, distinguishes the system: it prepares …Ba7 and …b5, restrains a potential Nb5 invasion, and signals a patient, manoeuvring struggle—hence the historical nickname Giuoco Pianissimo, “Very Quiet Game.”

Typical Move Order

The opening can arise through assorted transpositions, but the following is the cleanest illustration:

• 6…a6 – Black spends a tempo on a pawn move that reinforces b5 and keeps the bishop on c5 safe from harassment.
• If White replies 7. a4, Black may continue with …Ba7, …O-O, and …h6, keeping the position flexible.

Strategic Themes

• Maneuvering battle. Both sides delay an early d4 or …d5 break, preferring piece development, pawn restraint, and long-term buildup.
• Central tension. White plans d4 in one go or via Re1, Nbd2, Nf1–g3, whereas Black answers with …Re8 and …h6 before freeing with …d5.
• The …a6 & …b5 lever. After …a6, …b5 gains space, kicks the c4-bishop to b3, and can support …c6–d5 in one stroke.
• Kingside play. Because neither side forces early exchanges, opposite-side pawn storms rarely occur; instead, subtle piece maneuvers (e.g., Bc1-g5, Ng3-f5, or …g6, …Nh5-f4) dominate.

Historical Context

The original Italian Game of the 16^th–17^th centuries featured rapid attacks on f7. By the late 19^th century, masters such as Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker discovered more defensive resources for Black, giving birth to slower, positional offshoots—collectively called the Giuoco Pianissimo. The specific …a6 idea crystallised in the 1950s, gained analytical depth through András Adorján in the 1980s, and exploded in elite practice after 2010. During the 2016–2021 world-title cycles, Carlsen, Caruana, Ding Liren, and Nepo-mniachtchi all adopted it, making the line a mainstay of super-GM repertoires.

Illustrative Game

Fabiano Caruana – Magnus Carlsen, World Championship 2018, Game 4

The game epitomises the Pianissimo with …a6: restrained pawn play, bishop retreats to a7, flexible central breaks (…d5), and a minor-piece skirmish lasting well into the middlegame. Carlsen neutralised White’s slight space plus and the game eventually fizzled to a draw on move 34.

Practical Tips

1. Know your manoeuvres. Plans like Bb3-b-g, Nbd2-f1-g3 (for White) or …Ba7-Be6, …Re8, …Ne7-g6 (for Black) are more important than concrete tactics.
2. Watch the clocks. The position contains latent tension; spending too much time deciding when to break with d4/…d5 can lead to time trouble.
3. Pawn coordination matters. After …a6 & …b5, ensure …c6 or …d5 follows soon; otherwise the queenside pawns may become overextended.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes for this system straddle C53–C54. Databases list dozens of micro-variations, sometimes appending “Italian Game, Two Knights Variation” even though the knight hop to g5 never occurs.
• In 2017 the opening accounted for nearly 30 % of all games at elite level beginning with 1. e4 e5, a statistical renaissance unseen since the 19^th-century Romantic era.
• The move 6…a6 was once dismissed as “too slow.” It took engines such as Stockfish and LCZero to reveal its hidden dynamism, sparking renewed human interest.
• Club players often meet …a6 with an automatic a4; however, strong players delay a4 to preserve flexibility and avoid giving Black the b4-square for a knight.

Summary

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with …a6 is the quintessential 21^st-century “slow burn” opening: symmetrical, flexible, and rich in manoeuvring subtleties. It provides a safe yet ambitious battleground for both colours and remains a staple choice from club level all the way to World Championship matches.