Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Anderssen Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb4+

ECO C54

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Anderssen Variation is a chess opening line in the Italian Game complex, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb4+.

It is catalogued under code C54 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Bb4+ is chosen by Black on move 8.

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Beat the Italian course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.