Current position
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
The Italian Game starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 and is catalogued under ECO C50, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 184 lines inside it, grouped into 156 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.
Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.
Develops the king’s knight and attacks Black’s e5-pawn.
Idea: Increase central pressure while getting ready to castle.
Defends e5 while developing the queen’s knight toward the center.
Idea: Hold the central pawn and keep several classical setups available.
Develops the bishop onto an active diagonal aimed at f7.
Idea: Accelerate kingside development and make Black’s weakest early square a target.
Develops the knight to f6, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Tucks the king away and activates the rook in a single move.
Idea: Finish kingside development so the central pieces can coordinate safely.
Develops the bishop to c5, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the bishop on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the knight on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Develops the bishop to g5, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances to d6 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Advances the f-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Repositions the queen to e7, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Coordinate threats carefully while avoiding unnecessary tempi against the queen.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Italian Game. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
132 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Italian Game.