k In the 19th Century, there was great appeal for this opening. It allowed for immediate attack by White usually by crashing his King Bishop into the f7 Pawn like a Kamikaze.
15
k Today this opening is not always characterized by the same fireworks as our 19th century counterparts. Instead the game is played tending to a more lasting initiative and positional edge.
15
k Many times this opening transposes into other openings, and the beginner often gets confused when book moves are not played. In these cases, I suggest the beginner develop, dig-in, and trade equally before complications can arise.
10
k Cases where this opening is defended with the Two Knights Defense will not be addressed in this lecture, and nor will the Evans Gambit be discussed.
8
k ***********************
2
k Part I The Basic Setup
6
e2e4
e7e5
g1f3
b8c6
f1c4
f8c5
c2c3
k With 4. c3, White aims to build a strong center, preparing for the plan of 5. d4.
12
k The next move by Black develops the character of this game. Generally, the book move Nf6 is the best response. Although other continuations may lead to equality in pieces, their positional merit is unclear.
15
g8f6
6
back 1
k Other responses are:
4
k The Quiet continuation 4...d6, the Center-Holding Variation 4...Qe7, and sometimes 4...Qf6.
10
k First, the Quiet continuation.
6
d7d6
k The plan of 5. d4 continues.
4
d2d4
e5d4
k 5...Bb6 costs Black a pawn.
4
c3d4
c5b4
c1d2
k White maintians the center.
8
back 6
4
k Another continuation, The Center-Holding Variation.
6
d8e7
4
k With this move Black intends to hold the center. Whether this set-up is ultimately satisfactory remains to be determined. However, If Black trades his King Pawn, the position of the Queen may be compromised.
18
d2d4
k The plan of d4 continues.
4
e5d4
e1g1
d4c3
b1c3
d7d6
c3d5
e7d8
b2b4
k ...with good chances for White
6
k ...for example:
6
c6b4
d5b4
c5b4
d1a4
k ... winning the bishop at b4 because the queen attacks both the king and bishop.
10
k Another plausible variation:
4
back 10
3
d4d3
e4e5
h7h6
b2b4
c5b6
a2a4
a7a5
c1a3
a5b4
c3b4
c6b4
d1b3
b6c5
b1c3
k ...with advantage for White.
15
k Note the long diagonals of which White can take advantage.
8
back 18
4
k Other moves less commendable than 4...Nf6 are: 4...f5
6
f7f5
d2d4
4
k Please note that carrying out the plan 5. d4 usually should not be delayed.
6
f5e4
f3e5
c6e5
d1h5
k with advantage for White.
8
back 6
k Another move less commendable: 4...Qf6
6
d8f6
d2d4
e5d4
e4e5
k 6...Nxe5 7. Qe2 and White wins a piece.
10
f6g6
c3d4
c5b4
b1c3
g6g2
h1g1
g2h3
c4f7
k A difficult position for Black. His King and queen will be forked on g5 if the Bishop is taken.
8
back 12
k Back to the book move: 4...Nf6
4
g8f6
k In attacking the King Pawn, Black actually meets White's plans.
d2d4
4
k Moving the Bishop to b6 loses a pawn. For example:
6
c5b6
f3e5
c6e5
d4e5
4
k Nxe4?
6
f6e4
d1d5
k Or...
back 1
c4f7
back 6
e5d4
e4e5
k This leads to an unclear struggle.
6
k But if Black is careless with his knight...
4
f6e4
c4d5
k ... he will surely lose a piece.
10
back 3
c3d4
c5b4
k The black Bishop retreating to b6 again concedes the center to White, with a well known trick.
10
back 1
c5b6
d4d5
c6e7
6
k If Black placed the knight to a5 then...
back 1
c6a5
4
k then...
4
c4d3
k threatening 9. b4!
6
back 2
4
c6e7
e4e5
f6g4
d5d6
c7d6
e5d6
b6f2
e1e2
e7f5
d1d5
k Winning a piece.
12
k Return to Black moving the bishop 6...Bb4+
4
back 12
4
c5b4
8
k White's next move will 'Part the Waters' on theory and this will be discussed next in Parts 2 & 3.
8
k In many ways, this will depend on the style of the player.
4
k 7. Nc3 loses a pawn at first, but white's advantage in the center may be greater.
10
k 7. Bd2 ususally ends up in trading Bishops. White avoids a material sacrifice, but the advantage in the center is substantially diminished.
15
k *************************************
2
k Part 2 The Moller Variation. 7. Nc3
6
k Sometimes called the Moller Attack. The combinative nature of the position usually appeals to aggressive players.
8
b1c3
k A self-pinning move.
f6e4
k Black must take the e4 pawn or face difficulties:
4
back 1
2
k 7...d6 may be too timid.
4
d7d6
d4d5
b4c3
b2c3
c6e7
O-O
f6e4
f1e1
e4c3
d1d4
k ...and White wins a piece.
12
back 2
e4f6
c1g5
k Black's development is deterred.
6
k ...and Black should not castle.
6
O-O
g5f6
g7f6
2
k White's pending attack will be hard to neutralize.
8
back 13
k 8...0-0 may not be better.
6
O-O
c1g5
h7h6
g5f6
d8f6
O-O
k ...and White is for choice.
2
back 6
k 8...d5 is another difficult situation.
1
d7d5
e4d5
f6d5
O-O
k 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11. Bf4 White has a pull.
12
c8e6
c1g5
b4e7
k 11. Bxe7 Ncxe7 12. Ne4 0-0 13. Qb3 White has a pull.
12
c4d5
e6d5
c3d5
d8d5
g5e7
c6e7
f1e1
f7f6
d1e2
d5d7
a1c1
e8f7
k ...yet White has a tiny edge, or at least the initiative rests with White.
15
back 19
k The consistent continuation is 7...Nxe4
4
f6e4
4
k A wild position. Black is a Pawn to the good, but White has an advantage in development while the position is open. White therefore must depend on energetic play, regardless of the loss of additional pawns or even greater material.
18
k Black's aim is consolidation; he especially needs safety for his King. His task is anything but simple, often requiring radical methods. Black must not forsake this aim on behalf of merely retaining a material advantage.
18
O-O
e4c3
k The Greco variation of The Moller Attack, which is not quite satisfactory for Black. However, it is Black who chooses to go this way.
10
b2c3
k After Bxc3, either Qb3 or Ba3 give White excellent play.
8
b4c3
d1b3
c3a1
c4f7
e8f8
c1g5
c6e7
f3e5
a1d4
f7g6
d7d5
b3f3
c8f5
g6f5
d4e5
f5e6
e5f6
g5f6
k ... and White wins.
6
g7f6
f3f6
k However, Black can have a satisfactory game along the same lines if he didn't take the pawn c3, and continues with a counter-thrust
d5
12
back 22
6
e4c3
b2c3
k 9...d5
d7d5
c3b4
d5c4
f1e1
c6e7
k Black's key move!
6
d1e2
c8e6
f3g5
d8d7
g5e6
d7e6
c1g5
e6e2
e1e2
f7f6
a1e1
O-O-O
k ...and Black has a satisfactory game.
10
k ...another way this could play out:
4
back 12
4
c1g5
f7f6
d1e2
4
k 13...f6xg5? 14. Qxc4!
10
c8g4
k ...or...
2
k 13...0-0 14. Qxe7 and after trading, White can scoop up some pawns.
10
back 1
O-O
e2e7
d8e7
e1e7
f6g5
e7c7
k ...favoring White.
8
back 6
k another alternative:
4
c8g4
g5f4
e8f7
e2c4
e7d5
f3d2
g4e6
f4g3
k ...and Black can equalize.
8
back 18
4
k Back to 8...Bxc3
4
b4c3
d4d5
k The Moller Variation Proper.
4
k 9.bxc3 is simply met by 9...d5!
6
back 1
b2c3
d7d5
c1a3
d5c4
f1e1
c8e6
e1e4
d8d5
d1e2
O-O-O
k Better for Black.
10
back 10
d4d5
c6e5
k Of other alternatives by Black should White take the Bishop at c3, d5 would probably be best.
10
b2c3
e5c4
d1d4
c4d6
k 11...f5! (We'll come back to this in a minute.)
10
d4g7
d8f6
g7f6
e4f6
f1e1
e8f8
c1h6
f8g8
e1e5
d6e4
f3d2
d7d6
d2e4
d6e5
e4f6
k Mate!
k Back to 11...f5!
4
back 17
4
k This probably Black's best way to equalize.
d1d4
f7f5
d4c4
d7d6
f3d4
O-O
f2f3
e4f6
c1g5
h7h6
k With roughly equal chances.
10
back 9
4
k Another example for 11...f5.
f7f5
d4c4
O-O
d5d6
g8h8
d6c7
d8f6
c1b2
k With roughly equal chances.
6
k What if 9...Bf6? Here's a pretty example for White.
6
back 12
2
c3f6
f1e1
k Please note this rook move.
5
c6e7
e1e4
O-O
d5d6
c7d6
d1d6
e7f5
d6d5
d7d6
f3g5
f6g5
c1g5
d8g5
k ...?
4
k Can you see mate? 20 seconds.
20
d5f7
k ...and mate follows.
f8f7
e4e8
k Sweet! ( ...or as in chan 10: Moist! )
6
back 18
k Here is another example:
c3f6
f1e1
c6e7
e1e4
d7d6
c1g5
f6g5
f3g5
O-O
g5h7
g8h7
d1h5
h7g8
e4h4
f7f5
h4h3
k Preventing 17...Ng6
4
f5f4
g2g4
f4g3
h5h7
g8f7
h7h5
f7g8
4
k ...not Ng6.
back 1
6
e7g6
h3g3
d8f6
c4d3
k ...and White will win a piece.
4
back 4
f7g8
h5h7
k with perpetual check.
8
k This is the end of part 2, The Moller variations. The next part will now focus on the move 7.Bd2, a quiet continuation that enables White to avoid a material sacrifice, but his advantage in the center is substantially diminished.
18
k **********************
k Part 3 Move 7. Bd2
4
k This next move is considered a quiet continuation. It does rather seem to have no spark, but note that Black moved his Bishop three times before trading; and by trading, White developes a piece by taking it.
15
back 29
6
c1d2
b4d2
4
k Nxe4 is a  bold course, The risk, however, is all Black's.
6
b1d2
d7d5
k The counter-thrust.
5
e4d5
f6d5
d1b3
c6e7
k Be6 is answered by Qxb7.
2
O-O
O-O
f1e1
c7c6
k White has an isolated Queen Pawn, but he enjoys greater freedom of movement. A situation like like this may become dangerous for either side.
15
k Failure to act energetically may hurt White in that his isolated Queen pawn becomes a liability. On the other hand, even a slight inaccuracy may cause serious damage to black.
15
k Here is a nice variation for White:
2
d2e4
d5b6
e4c5
b6c4
b3c4
b7b6
c5d3
c8e6
k ?
4
k ...Bb7 gives Black an even game.
6
e1e6
f7e6
c4e6
g8h8
d3e5
d8e8
f3g5
k and White wins.
4
k The next example will show a slightly more even game.
6
back 27
c1d2
b4d2
b1d2
d7d5
e4d5
f6d5
d1b3
c6e7
O-O
O-O
f1e1
c7c6
k Here's the change:
a2a4
d8b6
a4a5
b6b3
d2b3
c8f5
f3e5
d5b4
a1c1
b4d5
a5a6
k Changing into a game of position more than tactics.
5
back 11
d2e4
d8b6
e4c3
b6b3
c4b3
c8e6
f3g5
e6d7
e1e5
k ... and White for choice.
6
k Let's go back to move 10 Qb3
4
back 15
2
k The response by Black can shape the game in many different ways. We will now look at a three different responses by Black.
6
d1b3
6
k We'll look at 10...Be6, 10...Na5, 10...0-0.
4
k First 10...Be6.
5
c8e6
b3b7
c6a5
c4b5
k 12...c6?
e8f8
b7a6
c7c6
b5a4
4
k Black has little direction from here.
8
back 8
4
k Now look at 10...Na5.
4
k Modern Chess Openings (MCO) lists the next position as equal and could be agreed drawn; for example:
6
c6a5
b3a4
k MCO says this position is drawn because Nb6 is threatened.
6
a5c6
k White played to win in Sveshnikov-Mortensen, Leningrad 1984,  with 14. Bb5.
6
a4b3
k 12...Nb6 was threatened.
8
c6a5
b3a4
a5c6
c4b5
c8d7
a4b3
k ?! ...15. 0-0 is equal.
10
d8e7
e1f1
d7e6
k ...and Black ended up with advantage.
12
back 13
k Here another example shows 10...Na5 as unfavorable for Black when the pawn at c7 is moved.
16
c6a5
b3a4
c7c6
c4d5
d8d5
O-O
4
k ...and Black's Knight is ill-placed.
8
back 6
4
k Finally, 10...0-0 ?! Which deserves consideration.
6
O-O
c4d5
c6a5
k A tricky situation here.
14
back 22
k Though modern masters have devoted relatively little attention to the Giuoco, its variations continue to pose many intriguing problems.
10
k This lecture was compiled by Art Watkins; Fics handle: afw
8
k I hope this lecture was informative. It was written using combinations of ideas from many of the books in my Chess library simply melded together. Please message me if you have any comments or questions.
12