- ECO code
- C50
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5
- Family
- Italian Game
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 709
- Average game length
- 47 moves
- Years covered
- 1889–2026
Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal is the opening filed under ECO code C50, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5. It belongs to the Italian Game family and is known as the Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 709 games on this line — the 157th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1889 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 576 games. An average game here lasts 47 moves.
White wins 34% of those games, 34% end in a draw, and Black wins 32%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 4 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.O-O, played in 271 games, followed by 5.c3 (261) and 5.Nc3 (89). After 5.O-O White scores 34% and Black 32%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is So,W (57 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (55).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 34% (241)
- Draws 34% (242)
- Black 32% (226)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.O-O | 271 | 34/34/32 | — |
| 5.c3 | 261 | 33/36/31 | — |
| 5.Nc3 | 89 | 29/40/31 | — |
| 5.Bg5 | 46 | 48/17/35 | — |
| 5.a4 | 16 | 37/25/38 | — |
| 5.Be3 | 11 | 27/27/46 | — |
| 5.Nbd2 | 7 | 14/72/14 | — |
| 5.h3 | 4 | 75/25/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
- King's Knight Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 · 21,895 games
- King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 · 19,295 games
- Italian Game · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 · 4,424 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 · 1,656 games
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 · 1,354 games
Played most often by
As White
- So,W 57
- Aronian,L 34
- Firouzja,Alireza 34
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 55
- So,W 47
- Shirov,A 40
Games per decade
- 1880s 1
- 1890s 9
- 1900s 7
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 4
- 1930s 2
- 1940s 2
- 1950s 1
- 1960s 1
- 1970s 2
- 1980s 6
- 1990s 10
- 2000s 8
- 2010s 79
- 2020s 576
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Keymer,Vincent | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 8th Prague Masters 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Svane,R | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 23rd Jun 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Svane,R | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 19th May 2026 |
| Pichot,A | Nepomniachtchi,I | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Davudov,Tunar | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal?
It is the opening with ECO code C50, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5. It belongs to the Italian Game family.
Is the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal good for White or for Black?
In 709 master games on this line White wins 34%, 34% are drawn and Black wins 32%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal?
5.O-O — played in 271 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal?
On the White side So,W (57), Aronian,L (34), Firouzja,Alireza (34); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (55), So,W (47), Shirov,A (40).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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