Giuoco Pianissimo...the Classical Italian Chess Opening

 

Giuoco Pianissimo

by

FA Amit K Biswas

FIDE Arbiter, International Rated Chess Player, Chess Coach

Founder of Bengal Chess Wizard and Chess Art Wizard

(Almost all the players spend some time on the Giuoco Piano opening in their chess carrier. The main line is suitable for Black, so not very popular for White. But the classical line of Italian Opening, the Giuoco Pianissimo may be the solid alternative of main line for White. It is a positional line having strong tactical possibilities also. Both side players have to place their pieces on the optimal places. So if you do not know the basics of the line, you may face a big problem to play in this opening. I am trying to write the article on this popular line to make it easy for you. For easy understanding in Bengali, follow our YouTube Channel www.YouTube.com/c/BengalChessWizard.)

The Giuoco Piano Base Position:

Giuoco Piano is a popular e4 opening. The base position is as shown in the following diagram. (Detail discussion of the Giuoco Piano is written in separate article.)

Diagram1 - Guioco Piano Basic Structure

The Main Line in 4^th move of White:

Diagram 2 – Giuoco Piano Main Line after 4.c3

Classical Giuoco Piano 4...Nf6 (C50):

Diagram 3 – Classical Giuoco Piano 4...Nf6

From here White can be routing the game through one of the 3 popular branches. 

1. Giuoco Pianissimo (5.d3)
2. Centre Attack (5.d4)
3. Bird’s Attack (5.b4)

Today our subject of discussion is the most promising line for White Giuoco Pianissimo.

Transposition:

We can have the above position from other transpose series of moves also.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

• 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3
• 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3
• 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.c3

The base position of Giuoco Pianissimo

Diagram 4

The Giuoco Pianissimo is called the most promising Italian line for White, because in other line Black can manage the equality with perfect steps. But in Giuoco Pianissimo, with proper knowhow, as white you will always be one step ahead from Black.

Before advancing our Giuoco Pianissimo game, if we first keep in mind the strategy of this line and then understand the causes of the strategy, we will reach our goal with ease.

Main theme ideas

First we will discuss the strategy or ideas of White.

1. Place the c pawn to 3^rd rank to prepare the move d4. Here we already moved to c3.
2. D pawn will not attack centre immediately. First he will defend the e4 pawn until the duty of defending the e4 shifts to King’s Rook after short castle.
3. When Black advances to d6, your c4 Bishop has to be moved to b3.
4.  If the Black Knight comes to a5 indeed, the White light Bishop will move to c2.
5. The target square of b Knight will be f5. How its journey will be? First it will go to d2. Then it will wait until the King’s Rook come to e1. Then f1, and then e3 or g3 and finally to f5.
6. The dark Bishop has to move to e3.

Now the strategy or ideas of Black

1. Play d6 to defend the e5 pawn and release the c6 Knight for attack.
2. Short castle to release the f7 pressure and to enhance the safety of King.
3. Keeping the target of light square Bishop of White, the most important Italian Bishop, c6 Knight has to attack from a5. But be careful. Do not do so before d6. Because your e5 pawn will be hanging and become weak target by f3 Knight.
4. Black’s c5 Bishop also has a very important role in this game. So his safety also is to be secured. So make an escape route to a7 by giving the a6 move.

Deep Thought

Issue 1: Why not Nc3 instead of c3 as White?

1. Nc3 allows Black to play symmetrically for a long period.
2. The better place of b Knight is f5 instead of d5. (About the reason we will discuss later.)
3. Nc3 is obstructing c pawn to place in 3^rd rank to assist d4 to conquer the centre.
4. Release of c2 square allows the c4 Bishop to escape from the attack of Black Knight from a5.

Here is a very interesting instance game played between Knorre and Chigorin in St-Petersburg (1874). Advance players are requested to see the game clicking the link to learn a lot.

Issue 2: Why d pawn should not be moved to d4 very early?

Diagram 5

Although c3, d4 makes a solid centre, but early advance of d pawn leaving the safety of e4 pawn causes the e4 pawn to become weak and under the attack of the f6 Knight of Black. So d pawn must have to wait until another guard comes to save e4.

Diagram 6

Now d pawn is ready to attack the centre by the move d4 to make a rock solid centre.

Issue 3: Why c4 Bishop to move b3 after black d6 move?

1. Whenever Black play d6, you have to understand that the duty of defending e5 pawn shifted to the d6 and c6 Knight now can move without hesitation. Now he can come to a5 to attack the Italian Bishop of White, i.e., light square Bishop of White. So White has to take the precaution and move the Bishop to b3. Here c2 square is acting as the escape square.
2. Now the c2 Bishop is not only escaping from the black Knight attack, but also taking a great duty to guard the e4 pawn. 

Diagram 7

Issue 4: Why Black should prepare an escape square for his c5 Bishop?

Otherwise the Bishop may be trapped to exchange. As this Bishop has an important role in the game, it should not be exchanged.

Click here for the example.

One of many Standard Giuoco Pianissimo Basic Line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O a6 7.Bb3 Ba7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Re1 Be6 10.Nf1

Click here to see more secret messages of the line.

Issue 5: Why the Queen’s Knight of White wants to capture the f5 square?

From f5 Knight can provide a strong attack to the King side. It may become a decisive key position for White.

Issue 6: What will be the remedy for Black?

Black generally keeps his light Bishop near f5 for immediate exchange.

Diagram 8

So White has to be more careful for that. If he can create a position that he can avoid the exchange then he will conquer the most advantageous key square. 

You may observe the danger of the f5 Knight clicking here.