Chess: Understanding the Giuoco Piano (Two Knights)

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 Line



1 e4



Controls d5 and f5 plus opens up a diagonal
for the f1 bishop and Queen.

1 ... e5



Black imitates White with the same idea in mind.

2 Nf3



Mobilization with attack.

2 ... Nc6



Protecting the e5 pawn from 3 Nxe5.

3 Bc4



Please observe that the bishop fires at
Black's weakest point, f7.

3 ... Nf6




3 ... Bc5
3 ... Be7
3 ... d6
3 ... g6
3 ... h6
3 ... Nd4
3 ... f5
3 ... Qe7
3 ... a6
3 ... Qf6

4 Ng5



A twofold maneuver. The knight protects e4 from
4 ... Nxe4 and also threatens 5 Nxf7.

4 d3
4 d4 (Max Lange Attack)
4 d4 (Canal's Variation)
4 Bb5
4 Nc3
4 O-O
4 Qe2
4 c3

4 ... d5



Shielding f7 from the c4 bishop and also opening
up a diagonal for the c8 one.

4 ... Bc5
4 ... Nxe4

5 exd5



5 ... Na5



5 ... b5
5 ... Nd4
5 ... Nxd5
5 ... Bg4
5 ... Nb4

Also possible is:

5 ... Nxd5



5 ... b5
5 ... Nd4
5 ... Bg4
5 ... Nb4

6 d4



The g5 knight is now protected from ... Qxg5 by the
c1 bishop. Furthermore, White hopes to open up the
d-file (dxe5) and subsequently put additional
pressure on Black's d5 knight.

6 Nc3
6 Qh5
6 O-O
6 Nxf7

Alternatively, White can play the Fried Liver
Attack:

6 Nxf7



Forcing the King out into the open and pinning the
d5 knight after

6 ... Kxf7



7 Qf3+



7 ... Ke6



8 Nc3



More pressure on d5. Please observe how that point
is attacked thrice but protected twice.

8 O-O

8 ... Ncb4



Covers d5 a third time and also threatens ... Nxc2+.

8 ... Nce7

9 Qe4



(i) Preventing ... Nxc2+.
(ii) Getting up close and personal with Black's King.
This move cancels out the e5 pawn's d4 and f4
influence because it pins that piece to the enemy
King.

9 Kd1
9 a3
9 O-O
9 Bb3

9 ... c6




(i) Covers the vulnerable d5 a fourth time.
(ii) Enables Nb4-a6-c7, which also strengthens d5.

9 ... b5
9 ... Bc5
9 ... Be7

10 a3



10 d4
10 f4

10 ... Na6



10 ... Nxc2
10 ... b5
10 ... Qa5
10 ... Kf6

11 d4



(i) Pressurizes e5.
(ii) Liberates the c1 bishop.

11 O-O
11 Qf3
11 f4

11 ... Nac7



It's all about consolidating d5.

11 ... Qd6
11 ... Kd7
11 ... Be7
11 ... b5

12 Bf4



The bishop comes out to add more pressure on e5.

12 Qxe5+
12 f4
12 dxe5

12 ... Kf7



Since he's no longer needed in the battle for d5,
the King retreats from the central heat.
He also enables the c8 bishop's development to e6.

12 ... Kf6
12 ... Bd6
12 ... Qe7

13 Bxe5



Winning e5.

13 dxe5
13 Qxe5

13 ... Be6



13 ... a6
13 ... a5

14 O-O



14 Qf3+
14 Nxd5

14 ... Be7



14 ... Nf6
14 ... Qe7
14 ... Rc8

15 f4



Cements e5 but more importantly it menaces
f4-f5-fxe6+/f4-f5-f6-fxe7+. The idea is to
get the f1 rook involved in the king-hunt
at the expense of the e6 or e7 bishop.

15 Rae1
15 Rfe1
15 Qf3+

15 ... Nf6



(i) Attacks the Queen.
(ii) Exposes the c4 bishop to 16... Bxc4.
(iii) Obstructs further the f1 rook's view
of the Black monarch.

15 ... Nxc3
15 ... b5

16 Bxe6+



16 Qd3
16 Qe2

16 ... Nxe6



16 ... Kxe6
16 ... Kf8

17 Qe2



17 Qd3
17 Qe3

17 ... c5



Destabilizing White's center and setting up
for a fighting middle game.

17 ... b5
17 ... g6

Back to 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5
5 exd5 Nxd5 6 d4



6 Nc3
6 Qh5
6 O-O
6 Nxf7

6 ... exd4



The White Queen can no longer avail herself
of the d-file.

(Or 6 ... Be7 7 Nxf7 Kxf7 8 Qf3+ Ke6 9 Nc3 Ncb4
10 Qe4 and Black is in trouble)

6 ... Be6
6 ... Bb4+
6 ... Be7
6 ... Nxd4

7 0-0



7 Qe2+
7 Nxf7

7 ... Be6



Since f7 and d5 are Black's most vulnerable points,
he urgently covers them with the bishop.

7 ... f6
7 ... Be7
7 ... h6
7 ... Nce7
7 ... Ncb4

8 Re1



Pinning the bishop plus threatening 9 Nxe6 followed
by 10 Rxe6.

8 Nxe6
8 Qe2
8 Qh5

8 ... Qd7



8 ... Be7
8 ... Nce7

9 Nxf7



Again, the idea is to force the Black monarch out
into the open, where he can be subjected to
further attack.

9 Nxe6
9 c3

9 ... Kxf7



Not 9 ... Qxf7 because of 10 Bxd5.

9 ... Bb4
9 ... Qxf7

10 Qf3+



10 Rxe6
10 Nc3

10 ... Kg8



10 ... Kg6
10 ... Bf5
10 ... Nf6

11 Rxe6



11 Nc3
11 c3
11 Nd2

Black can't take the rook with his Queen due
to 12 Bxd5. Presently, he needs to attend to
the attack on d5 and so he responds with

11 ... Rd8



11 ... Ncb4
11 ... Nd8

12 Bg5



12 Re4
12 Qe4
12 Qe2

12 ... Qxe6



12 ... Ncb4
12 ... Na5

13 Bxd8.



13 Nc3
13 Na3

13 ... Qe1+



13 ... Ncb4
13 ... Ne5
13 ... Nce7

14 Bf1



14 ... Qe6



14 ... Qe5
14 ... Nxd8

15 Bh4



15 Bg5
15 Bc4

Back to 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5
5 exd5 Na5



This move involves a long-term sacrifice,
and it's viewed as Black's best option.

6 Bb5+



6 d3
6 Be2
6 Bb3

6 ... c6



6 ... Bd7
6 ... Nd7

7 dxc6



7 Bf1
7 Be2

7 ... bxc6



7 ... Nxc6
7 ... Ke7

8 Be2



If White wants to, he can win another pawn
by 8 Qf3 (preventing the c6 pawn from
capturing the bishop because of Qxa8)
8 ... Rb8 9 Bxc6+ Nxc6 10 Qxc6+ Nd7
(the g5 knight is now attacked by the
Queen) 11 d3 Be7, but Black gets good
compensation for it.

8 Qf3
8 Bf1
8 Ba4
8 Bd3

8 ... h6



Kicking the knight back.

8 ... Bc5
8 ... Bd6

9 Nf3



Or 9 Nh3 Bc5, when Black gets good play for the pawn.

9 Nh3

9 ... e4



Restless times for the knight. This pawn push
also gains central space.

9 ... Bd6
9 ... Qc7

10 Ne5



10 Ng1
10 O-O

10 ... Bd6



Also playable is 10 ... Qd4 (attacking the e5 knight)
11 f4 (protecting it) 11 ... Bc5 (f2 is under fire)
12 Rf1 Bd6 13 c3 Qb6, when Black doesn't look bad,
compensationwise. 10 ... Qc7 is another solid
possibility.

10 ... Qc7
10 ... Bc5
10 ... Qd4
10 ... Qd5

11 d4



11 f4 gives Black active play after 11 ... exf3 e.p.
12 Nxf3 0-0 followed by ... c6-c5 and ... Bb7.

11 f4
11 Ng4
11 Nc4

11 ... exd3 e.p.



11 ... Qc7
11 ... O-O
11 ... c5

12 Nxd3



12 ... Qc7



The Queen-bishop tandem menaces White's kingside.

12 ... O-O
12 ... Qe7
12 ... Bf5

13 b3



So as to develop the bishop to b2 and also
dissuade Black's knight from occupying c4.

13 h3
13 Nd2
13 g3
13 Be3
13 Na3
13 b4

13 ... 0-0



13 ... c5
13 ... Bf5
13 ... Be6

14 Bb2



14 h3
14 a3

14 ... Ne4



14 ... Bf5
14 ... Re8
14 ... Nd5

15 Nd2



15 Nc3
15 h3

15 ... f5



With a double-edged position.

15 ... Bf5

16 Nf3



16 h3
16 g3

16 ... c5




16 ... Be6
16 ... Bb7

17 Nde5



17 O-O
17 c4

17 ... Bb7



17 ... Re8
17 ... Be6

18 Nc4



18 O-O
18 c4
18 Bb5

18 ... Bf4



18 ... Rad8
18 ... Rfd8

19 O-O



19 Bd3
19 Kf1

19 ... Rad8



19 ... Rfd8
19 ... Nxc4

20 Qe1



20 Bd3
20 Qb1

20 ... Nxc4



20 ... Nc6
20 ... Ba6

21 Bxc4+



21 bxc4
21 Bxg7

21 ... Kh8



21 ... Kh7
21 ... Bd5

By ChangeIsComing