Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit
Italian Game: Classical Variation
Definition
The Classical Variation of the Italian Game arises after the moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5.
Both sides develop their king’s bishop to its most aggressive diagonal,
attacking the f-pawn and staking central influence. Because the position is
perfectly symmetrical, older texts sometimes call it the
“Giuoco Piano” (Quiet Game), but modern theory has uncovered numerous
dynamic possibilities.
How it is used in play
- White usually chooses between the very quiet 4. c3 followed by d4, the immediate central break 4. d4, or the gambit 4. b4 (the Evans Gambit).
- Black can remain flexible with …Nf6, castle, and later decide on …d6, …d5, or the more modern …a6 and …Ba7 plans popularized by grandmasters such as Karpov and Caruana.
- The symmetrical structure means piece activity and move-order subtleties are critical; one inaccurate tempo often shifts the initiative.
Strategic significance
• Both sides enjoy open diagonals for their bishops, so tactics on the f-file
(f2/f7 squares) are ever-present.
• Pawn breaks with d4 (for White) or …d5 (for Black) define whether the game
stays “Italian” (slow manoeuvring) or becomes an open tactical melee.
• Because castling usually occurs early, a typical plan is to
redeploy knights to g3/g6 and aim at the opposing king.
Historical notes
One of the oldest recorded openings, it was already analysed by Gioachino Greco (17th century) and later by the Modenese school (Lolli, Ponziani, del Rio). In the 20th century it fell behind the Ruy Lopez in popularity, but a revival started in the 2010s at elite level—Carlsen–Caruana, WCh 2018 featured a long stretch of Classical Italian theory.
Illustrative example
Caruana – Vachier-Lagrave, London 2019
White sacrifices a pawn to open lines, winning it back later while keeping
an enduring initiative on the kingside.
Interesting facts
- Because both bishops are aimed directly at the centre, engines often give an “eval bar roller-coaster” effect—small human inaccuracies can swing the position wildly.
- World Champion Anatoly Karpov used the Classical Italian as Black throughout the 1970s when many grandmasters dismissed it as “equal but boring”—his subtle manoeuvres demonstrated its hidden venom.
Greco Gambit
Definition
The Greco Gambit is an aggressive pawn sacrifice in the Italian Game,
introduced after
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O.
White gambits the d-pawn (and sometimes a second pawn) to obtain rapid development and attacking chances on the open e- and f-files.
Practical usage
- The line is popular in blitz and rapid because Black must know several exact moves to avoid early disaster.
- Typical follow-up plans for White include Re1, c3, and e5, or Bxf7+ sacrifices reminiscent of Romantic-era chess.
- Black’s most reliable reply is 5…d6, intending …Nf6 and safe development; grabbing too many pawns with 5…Nf6? 6.e5 can be fatal.
Strategic & historical background
Named for Gioachino Greco (c. 1600–1634), one of the first chess authors to record entire games. His manuscripts contain dazzling sacrificial ideas from this very structure, many ending with the classic mating pattern Bxf7+, Qh5+, Qf7#. Although modern defence has dimmed its reputation at the top level, the gambit remains a favourite teaching tool for illustrating the principle of development versus material.
Model game
Greco (analysis) – NN, c.1620
Interesting titbits
- Many club players discover the Greco Gambit by accident—playing the developing move 4.d4!? without realising it is “theoretical.” Knowing the name afterwards adds a Renaissance flourish to the repertoire.
- Computers have recently rehabilitated certain sacrificial lines once annotated “dubious” by mid-20th-century analysts, reminding us that Greco’s intuition was ahead of its time.
Moeller-Therkatz Attack
Definition
The Moeller-Therkatz Attack (often shortened to the “Møller Attack”) is a
sharp continuation of the Italian Game: Classical Variation, beginning
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. O-O.
White sacrifices the d-pawn (and sometimes the c3-pawn) to gain a lead in development, rapid piece activity, and direct pressure against f7.
Origin of the name
Named after Danish master Jørgen Møller (1873-1944), who analysed 6.O-O in the 1890s, and German theoretician Adolf Therkatz, whose later annotations refined the attacking plans for both sides.
Main ideas
- If Black greedily accepts the challenge with 6…Nxe4 7.cxd4 d5, White often uncorks the temporary piece sacrifice 8.dxc5! to open lines (see game below).
- After 6…d5 (a more solid choice) 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 Be6 Black gives back the pawn but reaches safer waters.
- The attack teaches classic themes: lead in development, open files, and the power of pins along the a2–g8 and e-files.
Illustrative game
Møller – Schallopp, Copenhagen 1898
[[Pgn|
e4|e5|
Nf3|Nc6|
Bc4|Bc5|
c3|Nf6|
d4|exd4|
O-O|Nxe4|
cxd4|d5|
dxc5|dxc4|
Qe2|Qe7|
Qxc4|O-O|
Re1|Re8|
Nc3|Qxc5|
Qxc5|Nxc5|
Rxe8#| ]]
White’s queen sacrifice on move 15 leads directly to a mating net—a
spectacular demonstration that cemented the variation’s reputation.
Modern standing
The Moeller-Therkatz Attack is considered playable but risky at master level. Engines show that with precise defence Black equalises, yet the practical chance of the second player forgetting a detail remains high, which is why it frequently appears in over-the-board and online rapid games.
Anecdotes & fun facts
- Grandmaster Nigel Short once quipped, “Nothing wakes you up like facing the Moeller before your first coffee”—a nod to its tactical brutality.
- Because both surnames contain rarely used letters (ø and tz), the line is sometimes jokingly called “the most consonant-heavy attack in chess.”
- Modern correspondence games show a trend toward 6…Be7!? avoiding the wildest complications—a small theoretical victory for the defence.