Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bogoljubow Variation
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bogoljubow Variation (C58) starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3. In 332 games between strong players, White wins 47%, 14% are drawn and Black wins 39%; the most played move is 8…Be7 (41%).
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3
- ECO
- C58
- Games between strong players
- 332
- To move
- Black
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8…Be7 | 41% (137) | – | |
| 8…cxb5 | 27% (89) | Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Blackburne Variation | |
| 8…Rb8 | 15% (49) | – | |
| 8…h6 | 8% (25) | – | |
| 8…Bb7 | 4% (12) | – | |
| 8…Bd7 | 4% (12) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bishop Check Line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+
More Italian Game lines
- Italian Game 37,217 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense 18,433 games
- Italian Game: Giuoco Piano 16,352 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening 13,374 games
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal 10,039 games
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo 7,467 games
- Italian Game: Classical Variation 7,003 games
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo 3,667 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack 3,250 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal Variation 3,093 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense 2,567 games
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Center Attack 2,526 games
Played the Italian Game lately?
Enter your Chess.com or Lichess username: every move of your game labelled from Brilliant to Blunder, and where you left theory. Free, no account.