Semi-Italian Opening

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Semi-Italian Opening
abcdefgh
8
Chessboard480.svg
Chess rdt45.svg
Chess bdt45.svg
Chess qdt45.svg
Chess kdt45.svg
Chess bdt45.svg
Chess ndt45.svg
Chess rdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess ndt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess blt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess nlt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess rlt45.svg
Chess nlt45.svg
Chess blt45.svg
Chess qlt45.svg
Chess klt45.svg
Chess rlt45.svg
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Moves1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6
ECO C50
OriginRodzinski vs. Alekhine, Paris 1913
Named after Italian Opening (Giuoco Piano)
Parent Italian Game
Synonym(s)

The Semi-Italian Opening (also known as Half Giuoco Piano, Lesser Giuoco Piano, and Paris Defence) is one of Black's responses to the Italian Game. [6] [7] It begins with the moves:

Contents

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

Black's intent is to play a Hungarian Defense with an early ...Bg4, fighting for control of the d4-square. [6] [8] The line was tried by Alexander Alekhine early in his career. [8] [9] The first recorded use in international competition was in 1846.[ citation needed ] I. A. Horowitz called the defence " solid ", also writing: "It does not seem quite sufficient for equality ." [9]

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

Lines

Main line: 4.c3

4.d4 Bg4

After 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 White has the freer game according to Paul Keres, and instead of 5...Nf6, Larry Evans has suggested 5...g6!? [8] The move 4...Be7 transposes to the Hungarian Defense.

4.h3

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:

4.Nc3

This transposes to the game Maslov–Anatoly Lutikov, USSR 1963, [15] which continued 4...Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 Nf6 7.Ne2 (or 7.d3) and White stands slightly better (Keres, Miroslav Filip). [16] For 5...Bh5?, see Légal Trap.

Notable games

abcdefgh
8
Chessboard480.svg
Chess qlt45.svg
Chess bdt45.svg
Chess rdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess kdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess ndt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess pdt45.svg
Chess qdt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess bdt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess plt45.svg
Chess rlt45.svg
Chess nlt45.svg
Chess blt45.svg
Chess klt45.svg
Chess rlt45.svg
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Position after 11.f3

Rodzinski vs. Alekhine, Paris 1913: [7] [8]

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

5.d4, the Main line, is better.

5... Qd7 6. Ng5?!

6.Bxf7+ Qxf7 7.Qxb7 Kd7 8.Qxa8 Bxf3 9.gxf3 Qxf3 10.Rg1 Qxe4+ 11.Kd1 Qf3+ 12.Ke1 Qe4+ with perpetual check (Alekhine); or 12...e4 13.Na3 Ne5 14.Qxa7 Nd3+ 15.Kf1 with an even game according to Veniamin Sozin, [8] [17] but Black forces mate with 15...Qd1+ 16.Kg2 Nf4+ 17.Kg3 Qf3+ 18.Kh4 Qh3+ 19.Kg5 Ne6#.

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

13.cxd4 Qxc1+ with clear advantage for Black.

13... Qxd3 14. cxd4 Be7 15. Qxh8 Bh4# 0–1 [18]

See also

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References

  1. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 165. Half Giuoco Piano.
  2. 1 2 Horowitz (1964), p. 39
  3. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 223. Lesser Giuoco Piano.
  4. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 290. Paris Defence.
  5. Kasparov & Keene (1982), p. 309.
  6. 1 2 Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. Semi-Italian Opening.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kasparov & Keene (1982), pp. 308, 309.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Harding & Botterill (1977), pp. 129–30.
  9. 1 2 Horowitz (1964), pp. 39–41.
  10. "Grigory Levenfish vs. Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush, USSR Championship 1939". Chessgames.com .
  11. "Viktor Gavrikov vs. Evgeny Yuryevich Vladimirov, Vilnius 1978". Chessgames.com .
  12. "Viktor Kupreichik vs. Mikhail Podgaets, USSR 1970". Chessgames.com .
  13. "Gyula Sax vs. Borislav Ivkov, Amsterdam 1976". Chessgames.com .
  14. Matanović (1981), p. 227, n. 1.
  15. "Leonid P Maslov vs. Anatoly S Lutikov, Kharkov 1963". Chessgames.com .
  16. Matanović (1981), p. 243, n. 8.
  17. Matanović (1981), p. 242, n. 4.
  18. "Rodzynski vs. Alexander Alekhine, Paris 1913". Chessgames.com .

Bibliography