June 30, 2026

[Katherine Wise](https://blog.duolingo.com/author/katherine/)

# 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](https://blog.duolingo.com/chess-notation/)!

## 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](https://blog.duolingo.com/how-to-become-a-chess-grandmaster/), the Italian is often recommended for players who are just starting out, since it follows [classical opening principles](https://blog.duolingo.com/chess-opening-moves-tips/) and contains rapid [piece development](https://blog.duolingo.com/popular-chess-openings/#development).

## Italian Game: the moves

Here are the moves for the Italian Game:

💡

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bc4

With 3… Bc5 4. b4, this opening leads to the Evans Gambit, an aggressive, [attacking](https://blog.duolingo.com/popular-chess-openings/#attacking) [line](https://blog.duolingo.com/popular-chess-openings/#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](https://blog.duolingo.com/popular-chess-openings/) for every skill level!