New to chess and hunting for a first opening as White? The Italian Game is hard to beat. Three moves get three pieces out and a bishop pointed at Black’s weakest square, and you learn solid opening habits without memorizing twenty moves of theory. It’s also where Prologue starts you off, since it’s the one opening family that’s completely free in the app.

Here’s why it works so well, and how to play it.

The three moves of the Italian Game

You reach it with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4.

Every move has a reason, and that’s the key thing to hold on to:

  • 1.e4 takes the center and, in one move, frees your light-squared bishop and your queen. The best first move for learning how to attack.
  • 2.Nf3 develops a knight and already threatens the e5 pawn. Black has to react.
  • 2…Nc6 defends that pawn, and 3.Bc4 points your bishop straight at f7, the weakest square in the enemy camp, the one only the king defends at the start.

Three moves, three active pieces, one clear target. You haven’t played anything exotic, and yet you’re already off to a strong start.

The Italian Game's starting position: the bishop on c4 already eyes f7, Black's weakest square.

Why it all points at f7

The Italian Game is sometimes called “the Italian bishop’s opening” because of that bishop on c4. The whole logic lives in that bishop and in the f7 square.

At the start of the game, f7 (and f2 on White’s side) is guarded only by the king. A well-placed bishop and knight can target it and create threats very early. You won’t necessarily checkmate on move 6, but that pressure shapes your whole game: you know where you’re attacking.

The other idea is the center. Depending on the line, you’ll either build a big pawn center with c3 and d4, or play quietly with d3 and let the tension build. Both approaches are fine. It mostly comes down to what you’re comfortable with.

The two replies you’ll face

After 3.Bc4, Black has two main answers, and they lead to two very different games.

The Giuoco Piano (3…Bc5)

Black mirrors your bishop. The position is symmetrical, calm, healthy. From there, the quietest move is 4.d3, known as the Giuoco Pianissimo, “the very quiet game.” You prepare c3 and a possible d4 later, you castle, and you play a real game of chess with no immediate trap. This is the line I’d recommend to start: little theory, lots of understanding.

The Giuoco Pianissimo: after 4.d3 you quietly prepare c3 and d4, with no immediate trap.

If you want fireworks, there’s the Evans Gambit (4.b4): you offer a pawn to lure the black bishop and gain time on the center. Spectacular, but save it for later.

The Two Knights Defense (3…Nf6)

Here Black ignores the symmetry and counterattacks your e4 pawn. It’s sharper, and this is where the traps live. The most famous is the Fried Liver Attack: after 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7, you sacrifice a knight to drag the black king into the center of the board. Played well, the attack is terrifying for anyone who doesn’t know it.

The Fried Liver: after 6.Nxf7 you sacrifice the knight to drag the black king into the open.

One warning: against an opponent who knows the theory, the Fried Liver isn’t winning by force. It’s an ambush weapon, not a guarantee. You can also play more soberly with 4.d3 and return to calm positions.

Getting it into your hands

Here’s the trap most beginners fall into: they read an article like this one, nod along, then blank on all of it in their first real game. Reading about an opening and being able to play it are two separate skills.

Theory sticks when you play the moves yourself, not when you watch them. That’s the whole idea behind Prologue: you replay the Italian Game move by move, first guided, then from memory, until it comes out on its own the moment you need it. Every move gets a short reason, so you’re not parroting a string of squares, you know why the bishop belongs on c4.

Start with the Giuoco Pianissimo, play it a dozen games, and watch: very soon you won’t think about your first three moves at all. That’s energy saved for the middlegame. And when you’re ready to widen your repertoire, the Ruy López is the natural next step. Every White opening is gathered in the white openings guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Italian Game good for a beginner?

Yes, it’s one of the best openings to start with. It applies the opening principles (take the center, develop, castle) naturally, without requiring long theoretical lines. You can play it with a basic understanding and already reach good positions.

What’s the difference between the Italian Game and the Ruy López?

Both start with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, but the third move changes: 3.Bc4 for the Italian (the bishop aims at f7), 3.Bb5 for the Ruy López (the bishop pins the c6 knight). The Ruy López is richer and more common at the top level, but also more theoretical. The Italian is more direct and more accessible for beginners.

What is the Fried Liver?

It’s a trap in the Two Knights Defense: 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7, where White sacrifices a knight to take the f7 pawn and expose the black king. Dangerous against an unprepared opponent, but defensible if Black knows the right defense.

How many moves do I need to memorize?

To play the Italian Game well at a beginner-to-intermediate level, five or six moves are enough, as long as you understand the ideas. It’s better to know the plan (aim at f7, prepare d4, castle) than to recite ten moves without knowing why you’re playing them.