Italian Gambit

Italian Gambit

a b c d e f g h 8 Error creating thumbnail: g8 black knight a7 black pawn b7 black pawn c7 black pawn d7 black pawn f7 black pawn g7 black pawn h7 black pawn c6 black knight e5 black pawn c4 white bishop d4 white pawn e4 white pawn f3 white knight a2 white pawn b2 white pawn c2 white pawn f2 white pawn g2 white pawn h2 white pawn a1 white rook b1 white knight c1 white bishop d1 white queen e1 white king h1 white rook 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Moves	1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4
ECO	C50
Parent	Giuoco Piano

The Italian Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bc4 Bc5

4. d4

It is often played as an alternative to the quiet and closed lines of the Giuoco Piano or Giuoco Pianissimo openings. Black can:

• take with the pawn (4...exd4), a transposition to the Scotch Gambit;
• take with the knight (4...Nxd4), which is considered weak since it allows 5.Nxe5, attacking f7 with the bishop and knight; or
• take with the bishop (4...Bxd4), which is considered best.

4...Bxd4

After 4...Bxd4 5.Nxd4 Nxd4:

• 6.0-0, favoured by George Koltanowski, transposes to the related gambit line 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 following 6...Nf6, when 7.f4 and 7.Bg5 are the main possibilities for White; however, 6...d6!? is an independent alternative for Black.
• 6.Be3, dubbed the Miami Variation by Jude Acers and George Laven, is a way for White to deviate that probably suffices for dynamic equality.
• 6.f4?! is considered dubious due to 6...d6.

See also

• Italian Game
• List of chess openings
• List of chess openings named after places