Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Bernstein Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O-O Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bxc3 10.Qb3 d5

ECO C54

The Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Bernstein 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.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O-O Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bxc3 10.Qb3 d5.

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

The defining move d5 is chosen by Black on move 10.

The Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Bernstein Variation is a line of the Italian Game. The Italian Game is a chess opening that begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4. Read the complete Italian Game guide: what it is, how to reach it, its main variations, how to play against it, and its history.

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.