Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Bayonet Attack

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C54), reached after 23 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. g4.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

⤴ See the Italian Game family overview

About this opening

Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Bayonet Attack is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C54. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 23 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. g4.

It belongs to the Italian Game family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Classical Variation → Greco Gambit → Moeller-Bayonet Attack line).

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.Bc4 Bc5, 4.c3 Nf6, 5.d4 exd4, 6.cxd4 Bb4+. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.