Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4/3...Bc5/4. d3

Giuoco Pianissimo
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b1p3/2B1P3/3P1N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3

Giuoco Pianissimo

With 4.d3, White plays the Giuoco Pianissimo (Italian: "very quiet game"). White aims for a slow buildup deferring d4 until it can be prepared. By avoiding an immediate confrontation in the center White prevents the early release of tension through exchanges and enters a positional maneuvering game. If White plays c2-c3, the position can take some characteristics of the Ruy Lopez if his bishop retreats to c2 via Bc4-b3-c2. (The alternative move order 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 is common in master play.) Despite its drawish reputation, this variation became more popular after being taken up by Anatoly Karpov in the 1978 World Championship.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3

	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1	... d6	O-O Nf6	Nc3 h6	h3 O-O	a3 a6	b4 Ba7			-/+1
2	... ...	c3 Nf6	Bb3 O-O	h3 Be6	Nbd2 a6	Qe2 Ba7	g4 Nd7	Bc2 d5	-/+
2	... ...	... ...	O-O O-O	Bb3 a6	Nbd2				=
3	... Nf6	Bg5 h6	Bh4 d6	Nbd2 a6	a4 g5	Bg3 Nh5	c3 Qf6	Qe2 Nf4	=
4	... ...	Bb3 d6	c3 a6	O-O Ba7	Nbd2 O-O	h3 Be6	Bc2 h6	Re1 Ne7	-/+

Notes

1: Good chances for Black

References

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.