Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.e5

ECO C56

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack is a chess opening line in the Italian Game complex, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.e5.

It is catalogued under code C56 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move e5 is chosen by White on move 6.

4 named continuations branch from this position, including the Berger Variation and the Krause Variation.

Named variations

• Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Berger Variation — ECO C56
• Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Krause Variation — ECO C56
• Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Loman Defense — ECO C56
• Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Rubinstein Variation — ECO C56

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Scotch Gambit 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.