The Italian Game: Why It's Now the Most Played Opening at the Top Level
The Italian Game, once considered a gentle introduction to 1.e4 chess, is now the most played opening at the grandmaster level. Here's why.
For most of chess history, the Italian Game — 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 — was considered a gentler alternative to the sharper Ruy Lopez. That changed in the 2010s when computer analysis revealed that Italian positions have long-term strategic richness that had been completely missed by classical theory.
The Modern Italian
The Giuoco Piano — 3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 — leads to positions where White builds a slow but powerful center. The bishop on c4 targets f7, the c3 square is prepared for d4, and White's position develops harmoniously. Black has several ways to meet this: the classical ...0-0 ...d6 setup, the more aggressive ...d5, or the sharp ...Na5 attacking the Italian bishop.
Why Engines Changed the Assessment
Strong engines revealed that in Italian positions, White's slow buildup is more dangerous than it appears because Black's counterplay options are more limited than in the Ruy Lopez. The bishop on c4 prevents certain defensive maneuvers, and the positions that arise can be very unpleasant for Black if not handled precisely.