ECO C50 · Italian Game

Italian Game

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

3… Bc5+0.32

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Italian Game (C50), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4, Stockfish 18 recommends 3… Bc5 for Black. White is slightly better (+0.32).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.323… Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Nbd2 a6 7. a4 Ba7 8. c3
  2. +0.363… Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O O-O 6. Nbd2 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Re1
  3. +0.453… d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bf4

All Italian Game variations (155)

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Italian Game?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3… Bc5 for Black, continuing 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Nbd2 a6 7. a4 Ba7 8. c3. White is slightly better (+0.32). The next best moves are 3… Nf6 (+0.36) and 3… d6 (+0.45).
Is the Italian Game a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.32: white is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Italian Game?
C50. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).