The Italian Game: What It Is and How to Use It in Chess
June 30, 2026
Chess openings: What is the Italian Game?
Ready to add a new opening to your arsenal? Check out the Italian Game!
Learning openings requires understanding chess notation, the system for naming pieces and moves. Get a refresher on chess notation here!
Italian Game: 3 quick facts
- The Italian Game is also known as the Giuoco Piano, or Italian for “quiet game.”
- It’s one of the oldest chess openings, dating back to the early 1600s.
- While playable at top levels, the Italian is often recommended for players who are just starting out, since it follows classical opening principles and contains rapid piece development.
Italian Game: the moves
Here are the moves for the Italian Game:
💡
e4 e5
Nf3 Nc6
Bc4
With 3… Bc5 4. b4, this opening leads to the Evans Gambit, an aggressive, attacking line for White.
A great place to start
The Italian Game is a great pick for a first opening to learn and can be played throughout a chess player’s career.
If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!