The highly popular Italian game (traditionally known as Giuoco Piano, meaning the quiet game in Italian) is mainly a positional opening. This is even more obvious in the systems with d2-d3 (Giuoco Pianissimo, the quietest game), in which White refrains from an early fight for the centre. With all the pieces and pawns on board, there are many latent tactical possibilities for both sides.

This video course is intended as a tactical guide for Black, featuring themes such as the tactical abilities of the c5-bishop and the relatively restricted c6-knight, the kingside attack and the fight for the centre. Since the structure is almost symmetrical, the author has also examined a few examples with mirrored ideas, such as the tactical abilities of White‘s light-squared bishop. In doing so, his aim is to widen the viewers‘ understanding of certain ideas, but also to warn them about the potential tactical dangers. The author hopes that the spirit of the examples on this video course sweep away the common fear that chess will be extinguished by draws.

• Video running time: 5 hours 18 minutes(English)
• With interactive training including video feedback
• Extra: Database with further examples