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The Giuoco Piano
The Giuoco Piano is the first opening most chess players learn. Both sides put their pieces on the most natural squares and target the opposing king. Recent years have shown an increasing tendency for experienced players to return to their roots, and revisit the Giuoco Piano. Unlike some of the more modern openings which have been extensively analyzed in the last few decades, the Giuoco Piano has proved fertile ground for experimentation and innovation.
- GenresChess
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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June 29, 2010
The Giuoco Piano is one of the very oldest chess openings, dating from the late 15th century. Like most players, I learned it when I was a kid. Back then, the books all took pains to inform you that giuoco piano means "quiet game" in Italian, but that it was actually a misnomer. You went 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 ed 6. cd reaching this position:
Now, after Black played Bb4+, you bravely replied 7. Nc3; you sacrificed a pawn, then maybe a piece, to get an attack. It was all very exciting. The name came from back in the Olden Days, when they didn't know about all this advanced attacking stuff, and just peacefully played 5. d3.
In the 21st century, of course, every schoolboy (or girl; girls now play chess too) is aware that the sacrificial lines starting with 7. Nc3 offer no hope of an advantage, as long as Black has learned the right defensive moves. If you play that way, you're telling everyone that you're an amateur. The grandmasters all play 5. d3, and hope to get an edge by maneuvering quietly. So the name giuoco piano is appropriate again.
Well... plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, or however you say that in Italian. Gufeld's book walks you competently through both the quiet and the sharp lines, and is good value for money if you want to learn this perennial favorite.
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I just learned from Garry Kasparov's Revolution in the 70s that the modern interpretation of the Giuoco Piano is due to Sergey Makarichev. Wow. It hadn't occurred to me that anyone was responsible - I'd vaguely thought that it just happened by itself. Makarichev sounds like an amazingly creative person.
Now, after Black played Bb4+, you bravely replied 7. Nc3; you sacrificed a pawn, then maybe a piece, to get an attack. It was all very exciting. The name came from back in the Olden Days, when they didn't know about all this advanced attacking stuff, and just peacefully played 5. d3.
In the 21st century, of course, every schoolboy (or girl; girls now play chess too) is aware that the sacrificial lines starting with 7. Nc3 offer no hope of an advantage, as long as Black has learned the right defensive moves. If you play that way, you're telling everyone that you're an amateur. The grandmasters all play 5. d3, and hope to get an edge by maneuvering quietly. So the name giuoco piano is appropriate again.
Well... plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, or however you say that in Italian. Gufeld's book walks you competently through both the quiet and the sharp lines, and is good value for money if you want to learn this perennial favorite.
___________________________________________
I just learned from Garry Kasparov's Revolution in the 70s that the modern interpretation of the Giuoco Piano is due to Sergey Makarichev. Wow. It hadn't occurred to me that anyone was responsible - I'd vaguely thought that it just happened by itself. Makarichev sounds like an amazingly creative person.
Displaying 1 of 1 review