The Italian Game is a chess opening, or more accurately a family of chess openings, characterized by the moves

1. Opening theory in chess/1. e4 Opening theory in chess/1. e4/1...e5

2. Opening theory in chess/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3 Opening theory in chess/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6

3. Opening theory in chess/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4

Black will usually respond with Chess/Opening Theory/1.e4/1...e5/2.Nf3/2...Nc6/3.Bc4/3...Bc5, the Giuoco Piano; Chess/Opening Theory/1.e4/1...e5/2.Nf3/2...Nc6/3.Bc4/3...Nf6, the Two Knights Defense; or 3...Be7, the Hungarian Defense. Other moves, including 3...d6, occasionally played by Alekhine, and 3...Nd4?!, the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, are rarely seen. The term "Italian Game" is also sometimes used to refer specifically to the Giuoco Piano.

The openings arising from the Italian Game are among the oldest recorded openings and the sequence of moves is known as the Épine Dorsale. The Giuoco Piano (Italian: "quiet game") was played by the Portuguese Damiano at the beginning of the 15th century, and the Italian Greco at the beginning of the 16th century. The Italian Game received its name because of Greco's work, while Damiano has the misfortune to have his name attached to the Damiano Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?, a line he rightly condemned. The Two Knights Defense was analyzed by Giulio Cesare Polerio (c.1550–c.1610) in 1580.

References

• Exeter Chess Club: The Italian Game for Beginners

Chess openings

Partie italienne | Abertura italiana