The Italian Game (sometimes referred to as the Giuoco Piano) is one of the oldest openings around, and also one of the first lines a player learns when he or she is introduced to chess. It leads to play that is easy to understand: both sides develop their pieces logically and begin attacks on the opposing kings. The Italian Game gives both White and Black the opportunity to play either aggressively and in gambit fashion, or in a restrained and positional manner. One of White's most exciting and attacking options is the legendary Evans Gambit, which has been brought back into the limelight in this modern-era by such uncompromising players as World number one Garry Kasparov, Alexander Morozevich and England's Nigel Short.

In this book, openings expert Jan Pinski investigates the different strategies and tactics in the Italian Game and Evans Gambit. Using model games for both White and Black, Pinski provides crucial coverage of both the main lines and offbeat variations. This book arms the reader with enough knowledge to play the Italian Game and Evans Gambit with confidence.

• Written by well known opening theoretician

• A useful guide for club and tournament players alike

• All main lines are covered

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4

Part One: Italian Game

005 1 Introduction and the Italian Four Knights

011 2 The First Steps in the Italian Game

023 3 The Möller Attack and the Classical Italian Game

040 4 The Italian Regretted: White plays 5 d3

Part Two: Evans Gambit

057 5 The Evans Gambit Declined

075 6 The Evans Gambit with 5...Be7

088 7 The Evans Gambit with 5...Bc5

103 8 The Evans Gambit Introducing 5...Ba5

120 9 The Evans Gambit: The Main Line with 5...Ba5

Part Three: Other Lines

140 10 The Hungarian Defence and Other Sidelines

159 Index of Complete Games