Italian Game: Giuoco Piano and Greco's Attack

Italian Game: Giuoco Piano

Definition

The Giuoco Piano (Italian for “Quiet Game”) is the oldest branch of the Italian Opening, arising after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5. Both sides develop their king’s bishop to c4/c5, point at the vulnerable f-file squares, and prepare rapid castling.

Typical Move Order

Although move-orders can vary, the most common sequence continues:

• 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 (the “modern” slow system)
• 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 (main open line, shown below)

Strategic Ideas

• Central break with d2-d4 or c2-c3 & d4. White’s early c3 both guards d4 and restrains Black’s bishop on c5.
• Piece activity over pawn grabs. Because the position is open and kings castle quickly, tempi are precious.
• Minor-piece skirmishes on the queenside. The bishop on c4 often reroutes to b3 after …Na5, while Black’s bishop can retreat to b6.
• The “Italian pair.” Both bishops eye f7/f2, creating latent tactical pressure that never quite disappears.

Historical Notes

Documented as early as the 16th-century manuscripts of Giulio Cesare Polerio and Gioachino Greco, the Giuoco Piano was the main battlefield of early modern chess. Its calm appearance belies its importance:

• When time controls were shortened in elite events around 2016–2017, many grandmasters revived the Giuoco Piano as a practical weapon, e.g., Carlsen vs. Karjakin, 2016 World Championship, Game 4.
• It is a favorite of online blitz specialists, because its theory is lighter than that of the Ruy Lopez yet it offers comparable play.

Model Game

The following short clash illustrates the c3–d4 idea and kingside initiative:

Interesting Facts

• The label “Quiet Game” was coined long before hyper-modern openings; compared with the swashbuckling Evans Gambit or Danish Gambit, the early development did feel restrained.
• Because it steers clear of immediate pawn sacrifices, the Giuoco Piano is popular in scholastic chess classes—the ideas can be grasped without memorizing forcing lines.
• Several known mating motifs (e.g., the “Italian Mate,” “Greco Mate,” and “Lolli Mate”) originate directly from Giuoco Piano structures.

Greco’s Attack

Definition

Greco’s Attack is a sharp tactical system—often a trap—within the Italian family, named after the 17th-century chess genius Gioachino Greco. In its classic form White sacrifices on f7 to expose Black’s king and deliver a swift mate or win decisive material.

Canonical Line

After 4. Bxf7+ White drags the black king into the open. If Black grabs the knight on e5 (5…Nxe5?) he walks straight into 6. Qh5+, a double attack on e5 and c5 that leads to 7. Qxc5 and total chaos.

Strategic Themes

• Exploiting the f7 weakness. In many open games f7 (or f2) is only guarded by the king at the start. Greco’s Attack makes this the focal point.
• Initiative over material. White routinely gives up bishop + knight for two pawns (or less) but seizes time, open lines, and targets.
• Forcing play and mating nets. Classic mating build-ups such as Qh5+, Qf7# or the Greco Mate (bishop on c4, knight on g5, queen on h5/f7) are textbook examples used in tactics courses.

Historical Significance

Greco’s manuscripts (circa 1620) were among the first to record systematic opening play and tactical motifs. His “attacks” were not full-fledged openings by modern standards but illustrative games meant to teach pattern recognition. Many of those examples survived nearly intact in 19th-century primers, influencing generations of players.

Representative Example: Greco vs. NN (1620-ish)

This game mixes the Evans Gambit with Greco’s sacrificial themes, culminating in a picturesque mate on d7.

Modern Usage

Although objectively dubious against precise defense, Greco’s Attack remains:

• a favorite training tool for teaching initiative and mating patterns;
• a surprise weapon in blitz, bullet, and scholastic tournaments where practical chances trump engine approval;
• a historical touchstone—many authors trace common mating motifs back to Greco’s elegant finish.

Interesting Facts

• Greco’s notebooks were copied and recopied throughout Europe. One set was discovered in a Naples book stall in the 18th century, spreading his lines further.
• The phrase “Greco Mate” describes the exact finishing pattern of bishop on c4, knight on g5, and queen landing on f7.
• World Champion Mikhail Tal was fond of showing Greco’s miniature during lectures to illustrate that “the threat is stronger than the execution.”
• Even chess engines admit that after the inaccuracy 5…Nxe5? Black’s position collapses. The computer’s best defense—5…Kf8—illustrates how tempi matter more than aesthetics.