Italian Game - Chess Openings

The Italian Game, one of the oldest openings in chess, can be both aggressive and extremely passive. We look at all the variations you need to know to play the Italian game to fit your style of play.
For information on more openings check out www.thechesswebsite.com/chess-...

[@j.j.d.9876]

Just found out I've been playing the Italian game for my entire life without knowing it

[@MyscBigdrop]

Yeah the Italian is like standard chess moves if you now some opening principals

[@chiefdvm1671]

Yeah I think every beginner is taught the italian opening his first time learning. And through italian opening, a new player can actually learn basic techniques of chess really quickly. I did not learn openings first, because my dad didn't show them to me, but when I learnt this opening in a coaching, I improved by a large margin. I had a plan for every move the opponent plays. :)

[@henryviii267]

Haha same lol

[@j.j.d.9876]

@Blaze Abdullah Why? Just why would you post that on a Chess tutorial?

[@chiefdvm1671]

@Blaze Abdullah why tho

[@dwihadyan180]

2:31 THIS IS WHAT JEROME WOULD'VE WANTED

[@stevenwink4993]

A brahman of culture

[@gerardbaquer8083]

For JEROME!

[@meljansevanrensburg]

Almost as good as the Jerome gambit declined

[@koenpalstermans9180]

Nice and compact. Very understandable and not boring. Good job. You touched on a lot of interesting lines in the Italian game without going too far in detail. Thanks. I would like to find a video in that style about the Schliemann defense too.

[@jonwill]

Well presented; thank you for posting.

[@rajveeruppal6640]

1:27 u can move the b2 pawn to b4 and turn it into the evens gambit as well

[@xinyangliu7176]

Kevin! Your fantastic! Keep the videos up!

[@hihunter7]

Love the Evan's so I play the Italian a lot. Gotta learn about the openings you play if you wish to succeed with them

[@something829]

Kevin: You could se the Jerome gambit. Me in 2020: What do you mean by could!

[@squeezyeasy]

Hi Kevin, I learn much from your videos. Can you please make a video about the rosentreter gambit?

[@ashrafkotbofficial]

Awesome, thank you!

[@libelldrian173]

The c3 gambit only works if they recapture. Na5 is a strong response.

[@itumblers]

Great video!

[@nunyaa5]

Hey Kevin, do you ever stream yourself playing something like blitz chess? I think that would be entertaining, and you could post some highlight games to youtube as well!

[@paristhewabbit]

You were ahead of your time

[@hkhjg1734]

Great vid thanks

[@luzel55]

Very helpful

[@skybot9998]

Great video

[@dlucey123]

The Italian game opening is quite fun because it’s fast paced and aggressive. Until you castle, F7 is a real weak spot for black you can manipulate. If you don’t see it coming you can use the Italian opening to win in 4 moves using queen and Bishop.

[@parthsinghal3733]

In the italian gambit after dxc3 Bxf7 Kxf7 Qd5+ is much better than Nxc3 because you are not giving up a pawn and the black king cannot castle so you will have a good attack

[@Dezstiney]

10:45 is Equivalent to- "Exchange Hands, Shake, GG"

[@tabithapascualvlogs965]

Thank you for yout teaching

[@tabithapascualvlogs965]

Sorry is your

[@theomnisttv3499]

Thanks

[@tamirpolyakov1122]

7:21 you can go into the fries liver attack again as your bishop is defending the g5 square

[@djbj1993]

fried liver attack only really works if his knight is on f6, because the f7 pawn becomes very weak and hard to defend

[@litelus]

you should put links in the description to the videos of the gambits you mention

[@FloydFilmz]

nah. Your supposed to grab a chess book and learn it on your own. You can probably download them for free on certain attacks and defenses.

[@algebraicgamer4522]

This is a video on my favorite opening, made on my 5th birthday!

[@chesswebsite]

That's awesome! Makes me feel old myself.

[@arrowonthespot2284]

7:12 (Not quite 7/11) if you go knight to c3 instead of d4 and he bring bishop to G4 then your in luck... knight takes e5 their bishop takes your queen then your bishop to f7 check and knight to d5 is mate

[@user-ti4di1uh2d]

Wouldn’t they just take the knight with their knight then? That’ll just lose the knight and bishop for a pawn right?

[@shredyz]

My favorite one was the jerome gambit

[@allanschleider1514]

what do you do in the fired liver attack when black plays night a5

[@steelmongoose4956]

Late to the party, but I just started picking up chess. Very nice introduction to the system.

[@chesswebsite]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@ttfno4923]

At 10:10 white bishop can take the night because of Nf7+ and winning the queen, if the queen takes g2 then capture the rook, black soes the same, check move the king and you are up in pieces

[@antwerp7970]

I though the same but black can just Qxe5 and take the knight

[@ttfno4923]

ok thx, and don't forget to check out my channel

[@davidmacalintal8069]

Augmen thanks for forcing us to play this✌️

[@huangJJ0412]

Nice

[@foodreact3487]

Rye Lopez triggered me

[@cooldude2251]

Rye Lopez is for the tryhards that don't actually know what they are doing.

[@AndrewHillard1]

@@cooldude2251 agreed. all memory. too much imo

[@vasiliskaligeros413]

Berlin defense and you are going to crush them. Draw is the worst case scenario.

[@people0n]

Thanks kavin

[@chesswebsite]

You are welcome.

[@AronFigaro]

Into the blackburn-shilling, what prevents you from playing Nxf7 forking the rook and queen? Or white transitioning to the fried liver attack after black Nd4? Also, what prevents white from playing Ng5 in either case, and again with the Russo Gambit? I'm rusty as hell, maybe I'm missing stuff, but I feel like the answer to most of these moves from Black is "don't take, just attack the f7 pawn"

[@DeepfriedBeans4492]

Old comment but in case anyone else sees this as it’s high on the search results for the italian: Black plays qxg2 and if white takes the rook then qxh1 is checkmate for black

[@FiscalTiger]

Yay!

[@iitjee8685]

Yo!

[@sirriffsalot4158]

As a rookie I just love it when this opening works my way. I feel very "Mafioso"-like, lol

[@ChessdumyTV]

Make a video on the Reverse-Grunfeld and the symmetrical King's Indian Defense :D

[@chesswebsite]

You got it.

[@ChessdumyTV]

thechesswebsite Yay! :D

[@mattmca7867]

Anyone know what to play after Bc4 and then pawn f3?

[@SDHJ.]

What if they go KxH6 (I'm a new player)

[@chenghochun6807]

Make a video on modern defense

[@diamondxmen]

I started out with the Italian Game and I’ve gotten a lot of wins from it, but every once in a while I switch to the London System to trick people who play with me a lot. Because if you play e4 for a long time than your opponent suddenly sees you play d4 it surprises them because they’re fully prepared for an e4 opening. 😈 I’m still good at the Italian Game though.

[@mayateola4732]

I love the content, but would suggest since the videos are educational, it would be great to slow down the pace of narration.

[@youareanidio1]

Back when I was a beginner, I played this opening without knowing

[@MR__MAD__MAX]

I play same opening but from D4

[@davidkelly1495]

hey Kevin wats ur rating? Great videos, been watching a long time now and i am still rubbish! Only about the 1300 mark

[@rezmogm]

You mention the Trexler (?) response. I was interested but don't know what it is.

[@robertkaplan5938]

Chess Openings: Traxler Counter Attack

[@adikapachuau8447]

God video it is interesting the way you interprete

[@chesswebsite]

Glad you liked it.

[@Pacuvio25]

Ehm.. what about c3 and d4? No mention at all?

[@roelgeurtsen6897]

italian gambit is with oo and Nf6 i thought

[@thedoubledeagle]

I know gambits can be used to give a lead in development but how exactly does it let that happen?

[@djohnmark3625]

BT Million Because the person accepting the gambit wastes time pawn grabbing while you develop

[@RAHAKUMAR]

O m G…wonderful idea…

[@blankblank3600]

cool.

[@krosh7602]

where can I download this game

[@zachb.4429]

Love your vids

[@danixizunukan6939]

ok thx

[@jonkiesel3677]

9:53 after ...Qg5 white can play Nxf7 forking both the queen and rook as well as mocking the black king. Not a good gambit when you can always fork with protection.

[@vijaychandergopu4805]

Jon Gamer nxf7 then Q*g1 then rook to f1 q*e4+ then be2 then k*f7 black is up

[@vikramsrinivasan8176]

I always play the Italian opening without knowing.

[@fakecubed]

You're my least favorite player online, LOL. There's a bajillion Italian players out there and they drive me crazy. You should learn the Ruy Lopez, particularly the Exchange Variation and the mainline Closed Variation.

[@shirleyrobertson3195]

knight takes pawn e5?

[@travisloewen6191]

At 10:00, couldn't you take the F7 pawn with the knight to fork the Rook and Queen? Even if the Queen attacks, that Rook is stuck. I shouldn't sound so critical, this is a very well-made video. I always shoot for the Fried Liver but didn't realize that's a branch off of the Italian. Now I know!

[@ArmageddonChess]

figured that out myself lol

[@FiskKeron]

I assume if Nxf7 then Qxg2 Rf1, Qxe4 + Be2 and Kxf7 Or After Be2 There could be Nxe2 Qxe2 Qxe2+ Kxe2 and Kxf7 I don't really know, correct me If Im wrong.

[@tellahsage6477]

That's exactly the trap that black wants the opponent to fall into, if white tries to be clever and go for the fork on f7 he loses immediately to queen takes g2. It's either checkmate or the queen will be gone.

[@anupbarua6151]

4. Ng5 is not fried liver attack. because after, d5 5.exd5 blacks best move is 5... Na5. but if black plays 5... Nxd5 then white can play 6.Nxf7 which is fried liver.

[@anupbarua6151]

if white plays 6.d4 instead of 6.Nxf7 then its lolli attack.

[@hiimrawkit111]

Ive deff played this a couple times without knowing

[@chesswebsite]

Nice. It's definitely pretty common opening.

[@muhammadfahimmuhdredza601]

Like Fried River Attack

[@zstephen1]

For the Blackburn gambit, after Qg5 instead of playing Bxf7 couldn't you play Nxf7 winning a rook? There seems to be no horrible threat on the whites kingside right away. I'm sure it could go either way though.

[@drewschoenberger5912]

If nxf7 then qxg2 and if rf1 then qxe4+ and if Be2 then nf3 mates and Qe2 loses the queen

[@Checkm8isFEELINGood]

Hey Kevin! At 3:25 afterdxc3 instead of Nxc3 there is Qd5 winning

[@parthsinghal3733]

Not really because black has the move Qe7 defending the threat on f7 and even protecting the bishop and if then white plays Nxc3 black is much better after Nf6 gaining tempo on the queen and developing pieces

[@Checkm8isFEELINGood]

You are right. Then maybe Bxf7 first. Then Qd5 fork

[@itachil6892]

After Bc5 why not Ng5

[@canefan17]

Questions from a newb. If they open with Sicilian defense... How would someone opening in the "Italian game" (specifically fried liver) respond?

[@blackoutgenez]

this reply might be too late but for me i would just develop because you cant fried liver a sicilian

[@lewiscooke-carroll1771]

Then you have to play the Sicilian not the Italian game I would suggest knight c3 which is the closed Sicilian.

[@bilalbgt5949]

What to do if the black knight moves from c6 to a5 to attack the bishop?

[@habdlekarbier]

Move your bishop away from danger. It's a very powerful bishop and u don't want to lose it so quickly

[@rayzhang4]

Can you go over this opening? e4, e5, nc3

[@drewschoenberger5912]

It's called the Vienna game. I think he has a video on it

[@chewman2202]

3:00

[@ClarkPotter]

?

[@idkwhattoputasmyhandle01]

Finally something for when I misclick the bishop trying to do the ruy lopez

[@jacobhood5770]

THE JEROME HE STILL REIGNS

[@romanmapper6615]

What about h6? Every time

[@mikemorrison3913]

Knight g4 @10:21 ?

[@sandrate]

10:05 why not take with knight so you can eat the rook after they move the queen. Or is it to slow and you lose the board?

[@benl2140]

+Sandra Cardoso I'm not an expert, but I'd say it's because they can then capture with the queen on g2. Then, after you take their rook, they can take yours and also put you in check.

[@EzElizarraga]

+Ben L Just bring your rook to f1 take when the opportunity is there, right? @thechesswebsite

[@benl2140]

Alex Elizárraga Then the queen captures on e4, puts you in check, and you have to move your bishop back unless you want to lose your queen, then you lose your knight.

[@dkpandey1996]

Would it help if white played Ng4?

[@liberated8407]

4:24

[@Christian-nc4ho]

What if the oponent plays bc5 after bc4

[@thatPSNguy99]

I don't understand the c3 move when you can always play knight to c3

[@peppermints666]

+noah price Its Goal is to build a perfect center, wich is a pawn on e4 and one on d4. c3 prepares d4 so if black would take on e4 then white could retake on d4 and he would have an ideal pawn center :) thats one of the main goals in the Giuoco Piano, but that only works if black responses with Bc5. If Black decides to play the Nf6 instead of Bc5 the e4 pawn would be hanging and therefore white is more or less forced to play d3. That variation is known as the two knights defense :)

[@jackhedaya571]

At 3:26, wouldn’t it be better to move Qd5? This would threaten mate and attack the bishop simultaneously...

[@Mephisto996]

QE7 defends both bishop and mate

[@colvincrowe4346]

3.11

[@czechmaster21]

Can you do a detailed video on the second to the last gambit? I believe you said it is called russo gambit?

[@Handles_Are_Bad_Lol]

italian game is da best

[@GoldenBoyXCM]

5:10 Nc3 seems weird, gives black the option of Nxe4 d5

[@HollowTheShiba]

Dagobert Duck Whats wrong with Bxd5?

[@sameralshaikh2578]

@@HollowTheShiba loses the bishop pair and developes white's queen. No big deal but why get into that when you can avoid it with d3 which you will eventually play anyway?

[@babywano]

@thechesswebsite do you use these openings? What are you rated USCF? I noticed you missed several game winning moves 😉. Anyway no harm intended. I like your videos for a opening view into an opening. For theory I check databases computers and books...anyway I play scotch gambit so the goring gambit (c3) does not allow black to take after Be7 due to Qd5 and black is lost

[@xtgamermo2859]

What do I do if my opponent plays pawn d6 right after I develop the bishop

[@esited47]

dont use italian opening duh

[@Walkens1]

Could you make a video about Owen's defense? I'm getting my ass kicked almost every time my opponent chooses to use it to defend against e4.

[@drewschoenberger5912]

What's Owens defense?

[@vicentegrabin3526]

What is the name of the gambit on 8:19?

[@zebbelille2448]

Urusov gambit

[@tellahsage6477]

In that position at 6:11 White shouldn't take the pawn with the knight, Qd5 threatening mate on f7 wins a piece.

[@frostwalker3184]

I was playing italian game all along huh i ususally continue to move knight to f7

[@enderrking2239]

That is not the main line, the main liner is entering the giuoco piannisimo

[@sirilidionilirium4857]

I usely play c3 instead of the Nc3. Is that wrong now?

[@SteelPokemonFan]

Not at all, c3 is a very good move, it prepares a future d4 push and may allow the Light-Squared Bishop a home if Black plays Na5 with your Bishop on b3. Nc3 prevents the c2-pawn from advancing to c3, which makes d4 (White's pawn break in the centre) more difficult. To be honest, I find Nc3 to be a waste of time in the closed Italian games, though the position is so closed that it probably doesn't matter tooooo much. The only exception I can think of is if Black plays an early ...c6 to get ...d5 in, where the c3-Knight maybe could help prevent this. Simply put, the Knight doesn't really belong on c3 in such closed positions. It would rather travel to g3 so that it protects the e-pawn and anticipates a future Nf5. A Knight on f5 is always a dangerous attacking piece near the Black King after castling Kingside, Kasparov himself said that if you give him a Knight on f5, he's unstoppable. The same is true for colours reversed with a Knight on f4 of course. If the position were more open, such as in Fried Liver Attack lines or the King's Gambit, development and gaining time is much more important than preparing a positional plan such as a future d2/d3 - d4 push, so the Knight should go to c3 in those cases. After c3 and d3, you can play Nd2-f1-g3. h3 is also a good idea before this manouevre, as it prevents Black from doubling your pawns with ...Bg4 and ...Bxf3. This idea is very common in the Ruy Lopez as well, it makes playing d3-d4 easier because the e4-pawn is now protected *and* the d4-pawn can also be supported by a pawn on c3. As previously mentioned, if you have a Knight on f5 then you can often launch very vicious attacks with your other pieces. www.chess.com/article/view/attack-and-defense2 shows some interesting games with a Knight on f5, and these sacrifices really do happen, the only concern I have is that they're GM games so it's hard to see everything and understand why they made their moves.

[@lifesabbq]

Came here to see the next moves of the fried liver but you kept it short :(

[@shelleyparr9990]

After 3..Bc5 there is no mention of 4.c3. Seriously?

[@dynamic_pointer_cast]

I want.... more variations...

[@aishwarytipre9662]

What will be black's answer to Italian opening?

[@ethymo]

8:30

[@roinebaeck274]

Kevin please post more videos! tnx

[@onlyme2579]

You're not gonna cover Legal's mate? After pawn D6?

[@vineetmidha]

nice video. You have talked about some Ruso Gambit at the end of the video which is similar to King's Gambit for black. I have not found anything on net for Ruso Gambit. Can you explain that or provide some links to study that gambit. Thanks.

[@nikhilmekala3446]

Vineet Midha It is spelt as "Rousseau gambit". It's one of those crazy French spellings..

[@vineetmidha]

Hiklin D. Kemaal Thanks a lot. I have got a few videos on youtube. It is because of the spellings that I was unable to search any material on "Rousseau gambit" Thanks again.

[@koenpalstermans9180]

Hiklin D. Kemaal His pronounciation of Rousseau gambit is so bad.

[@thomasarneson4511]

+Vineet Midha There are some games with Estrada Caracaba.

[@darkdancerman]

How old are you?

[@dylanandrejic4902]

What's the difference between this opening and the giuoco piano?

[@bethanylowe8773]

It's the same.

[@MrJoHaSSa]

@@bethanylowe8773 Don't think its the same? Giuoco piano is a variation of the italian game If im not mistaken.