Semi-Italian Opening

	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

Moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6

ECO

C50

Named after

• Italian Opening (Giuoco Piano)
• Rodzinski vs. Alekhine, Paris 1913

Parent

Italian Game

Synonym(s)

Half Giuoco Piano
Lesser Giuoco Piano
Paris Defence

The Semi-Italian Opening (also called Half Giuoco Piano, Lesser Giuoco Piano, and Paris Defence) is one of Black's responses to the Italian Game. It begins with the moves:

Black's intent is to play a Hungarian Defense with an early ...Bg4, fighting for control of the d4-square. The line was tried by Alexander Alekhine early in his career. The first recorded use in international competition was in 1846.Horowitz called the defence "solid", also writing: "It does not seem quite sufficient for equality."

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings code for the Semi-Italian is C50.

4... Bg4 (after 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 White has the freer game according to Keres, and instead of 5...Nf6, Evans has suggested 5...g6!?; 4...Be7 is the Hungarian Defense) and now:

White prevents Black's thematic Bg4. The reply 4.h3 leads to lines similar to the Hungarian Defense, for example 4... Be7 5. d4 and now:

This transposes to the game Maslov–Lutikov, USSR 1963, which continued 4...Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 Nf6 7.Ne2 (or 7.d3) and White stands slightly better (Keres, Filip).

Rodzinski vs. Alekhine, Paris 1913:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. Qb3!?

5... Qd7 6. Ng5?!

6... Nh6 7. Nxf7 Nxf7 8. Bxf7+ Qxf7 9. Qxb7 Kd7 10. Qxa8 Qc4 11. f3 (see diagram) Bxf3! 12. gxf3 Nd4 13. d3?

13... Qxd3 14. cxd4 Be7 15. Qxh8 Bh4# 0–1

Bibliography

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Wikipedia