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

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

ECO C54

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Moeller-Therkatz Attack 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.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O-O Bxc3 9.d5.

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

The defining move d5 is chosen by White on move 9.

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.