The Italian Renaissance I

Move Orders, Tricks

& Alternatives
By

Martyn Kravtsiv

Quality Chess
www.qualitychess.co.uk
 Contents
Key to Symbols used & Bibliography 4
Preface 5
Introduction 7

Part I: Bishop’s Opening 11

1 Rare Lines 13
2 2...¥c5 3.d3 ¤f6 22
3 2...¤f6 3.d3 ¤c6 37
4 Introduction to 2...¤f6 3.d3 c6 60
5 3...c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3 ¥d6 78
6 5...a5 110
7 Introduction to 5...¥b4† 142
8 5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 158

Part II: Petroff Defence 181
9 Rare Third Moves 183
10 Introduction to 5...¤f6 188
11 5...¤f6 Main Line 192
12 Introduction to 5...¤xc3 202
13 Move 8 Sidelines 216
14 9...¤e5 10.¤xe5!? 235
15 9...¤e5 10.¢b1 245
16 9...¤f6 268
17 9...c6 284

Variation Index 305

 Preface
Since the very beginning of chess, vast numbers of games have opened with the moves 1.e4 e5. In
my chess database, the earliest one to begin this way goes back to 1560 – in that game Ruy Lopez,
the man, played the King’s Gambit instead of ‘his’ opening.
I was introduced to the moves of the king’s pawns at the age of six, as soon as I was taught to
play chess. Since then I have played hundreds of games starting with 1.e4 e5, and I know from
first-hand experience that a question that constantly arises for White is: “What can I do that will
perplex my opponent?”
If the attention previously centred on the Ruy Lopez and “Berlin Wall”, the focus has now
shifted to the Italian Game and Petroff Defence.
The last World Championship match confirmed the solidity of the Petroff. For that reason,
writing a book from White’s viewpoint dealing with 1.e4 e5 was a unique challenge. At first
a single book was planned, but in the course of the work it became clear that the quantity of
analysis was too great, and so the decision was taken to write two volumes.
The first volume is devoted to the Bishop’s Opening (2.¥c4) and also to the Petroff Defence –
that is, meeting 2.¤f3 with 2...¤f6. Thus the reader will note that I will cover two options for
White on move 2. This flexibility is one of the benefits of playing in Italian style.

The choice of 2.¥c4 may come as a surprise, yet the fact is that this move has been relatively little
studied, since many players underestimate it. The present volume should do something towards
filling the knowledge vacuum that exists in the Bishop’s Opening, as well as demonstrating ideas
for White against the Petroff.

The second volume will examine the Italian Game and other variations arising from 1.e4 e5
2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4.

I made the decision to write in Russian, as many of the variations require understanding ideas as
well as knowing the precise moves. I felt I could communicate these ideas more clearly in Russian,
then the excellent translator John Sugden expressed them in English, for which I thank him.

The books are addressed to chessplayers of every level, given that knowing the best moves in the
opening will be useful to anyone.
In this book you will find a large number of improvements and innovations. I have honestly
included all that I am aware of, without trying to keep any ideas to myself. I must add that I don’t
like it when someone deliberately tries to support his own conclusions by making an inaccurate
move for the opposing side at the critical moment. Accordingly the present book will be of use
to those who play 1...e5 with Black – because you can find improvements and new ideas in it for
Black as well as White.
6 The Italian Renaissance I: Move Orders, Tricks & Alternatives

While the book is being prepared for print, I shall carry on looking for new ideas after 1.e4 e5
2.¤f3 ¤c6. Hence as I write these lines now, I am reminded of the words of Thomas Merton:
“Here ends the book, but not the searching.”

Martyn Kravtsiv
June 2020
 
 
 
   

Chapter 8    
   
 
 
  


5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2

Variation Index
1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3 ¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2

A) 7...¤bd7 159
B) 7...¥g4 8.h3 ¥xf3 9.£xf3 0–0 10.g4 161
B1) 10...a5 162
B2) 10...¤a6 162
C) 7...a5! 164
C1) 8.a4 165
C11) 8...¤bd7 165
C12) 8...¥g4!? 9.h3 ¥xf3 10.£xf3 0–0 166
C121) 11.0–0 168
C122) 11.g4!? 168
C2) 8.c3 173
C21) 8...¥g4 173
C22) 8...¤bd7 174
 Chapter 8 – 5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 159

1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3 12...cxd5 13.¤xd4² White has a small but
¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 stable advantage. A similar position can arise
This recapture is worth considering as an with the inclusion of the moves ...a5 and a4
alternative to the queen recapture we saw in (that inclusion is probably in Black’s favour).
the previous chapter. Now on 13...a5 White can reply 14.c3.

We will now examine A) 7...¤bd7, 12...¤xd5 13.¥xd5 cxd5 14.¤xd4² In this

B) 7...¥g4 and C) 7...a5!. position, exchanging the b3-bishop for the
f6-knight is most likely in White’s favour; the
A) 7...¤bd7 d5-pawn would have limited White’s bishop.

The omission of ...a7-a5 and a2-a4 before 13.d6!

playing this move (later, line C11 will show us Instead 13.c4 is a more relaxed continuation
...¤bd7 with the moves ...a5 and a4 added) is with chances of a slight advantage after
not fatal but nonetheless gives White slightly 13...dxc3?! 14.bxc3 b5 15.c4, but instead after
more options. the stronger 13...¤f8 the position is closer to
equality.
8.0–0 0–0
It’s too late for 8...a5?! 9.exd5 cxd5 10.c4!² 13...b5
with a definite plus for White. After any other move, Black is clearly worse.

9.¦e1

Now the following sequence is standard, and  
leads to a fascinating position:  
9...¦e8 10.d4 exd4 11.exd5 ¦xe1† 12.£xe1     
    
      
   
     
        
     
14.¤g5!?N
   This novelty leads to entertaining play and
  also appears to be the best move.
     The sacrifice with 14.¥xf7†? does not work due
 to 14...¢xf7 15.¤g5† ¢g6! while on 14.a4 c4
12...c5!? 15.¥a2 Black will play 15...a6! 16.¤d4 £b6
This is a rather risky move, although if Black with an unclear position, as in D. Stojanovic –
consistently makes the best moves, then he can S. Solomon, Dresden (ol) 2008.
resist. The alternatives are less testing:
160 Part I – Bishop’s Opening

14...c4 15.¤xc4 bxc4 16.¥xc4 After 19.h4 White does not control the
White has a strong initiative and will soon e5-square, so Black can play 19...¥b7 without
have at least three pawns for the piece. Black fearing 20.¤e6, as he could swap queens and
has to find a number of strong moves, and even then put the knight on e5, equalizing.
after that he is not sure to achieve complete
equality. Also not so scary for Black is 19.¤f3, when
19...¥b7 or 19...d3!? may follow.
16...£f8!
The only move. Unclear is: 19.¤e6 £xe7 20.dxe7 ¤e5
21.¤c7÷ Besides 21...¤xf7!? Black can play
Black must avoid 16...¥b7? 17.¥xf7† ¢h8 21...¦b8 22.e8=£† ¤xe8 23.¥xe8 ¥f5! with
18.¥e6 when White wins. For example, if an approximately equal position.
18...£c8 then 19.¤f7† ¢g8 20.¤e5† ¢h8
21.£d2, with a decisive advantage. 19...hxg5
 Less accurate is: 19...¥b7?! 20.¤e6² Now
bad is 20...£xe7?! 21.dxe7 since Black cannot
  play ...¤e5. And even after the better defence
  20...£c8 21.¥g6 £g8 22.¦d1 White keeps
the initiative.
    
     20.fxg5
    
       
    
         
     
17.£e7
This sets more problems than taking on f7
    
at once, though of course 17.¥xf7† might also     
transpose.  
17...h6
    
Again, Black must play an only move. 
20...¤g8!
18.¥xf7† The only way! Black is in trouble after
Instead 18.¤xf7 can be met by 18...£xe7 20...¤g4?! 21.¦d1 ¤ge5 22.¥d5 while of
19.dxe7 ¤b6 20.¥b3 and then either course 20...¥b7?! simply fails to 21.gxf6.
20...¢h7 or even 20...¥d7!? leave Black with
no problems; it’s about level. 21.£e4 ¦b8
After 21...£xf7 22.£xa8 ¤b6 23.£f3² the
18...¢h8 19.f4! rook and four pawns are more dangerous than
The most promising follow-up. three scattered minor pieces.
 Chapter 8 – 5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 161

22.£h4† ¤h6 23.¥c4 B) 7...¥g4

 
      
     
        
        
      
      
   
       
 
23...¥b7! In the first draft of my analysis I gave this
Black has no time to take the d6-pawn. move a dubious sign, but it is not quite as bad
as I thought. Still, White can expect a slight
After 23...£xd6?! 24.¦e1! ¤e5 25.gxh6 White edge.
is winning, but the line is quite complicated:
25...¤xc4 26.¦e8† ¢h7 27.hxg7† ¢xg7 8.h3 ¥xf3 9.£xf3 0–0
28.£h8† ¢f7 29.£h5† ¢g7 30.h4!+– The After 9...a5 10.a3! it’s hard for Black to
computer says “+2.5” although to us humans do without ...0–0 anyway. For example:
this is not immediately obvious. On 30...¤e3 10...dxe4 11.¤xe4 (11.dxe4!?²) 11...0–0
there can follow 31.£h8† with the idea after 12.¤xf6† £xf6 13.£xf6 gxf6 14.0–0–0²
31...¢f7 to reply 32.h5!, while instead if Thanks to his better pawn structure and good
30...¦xb2 then 31.£g5† ¢f7 32.¦xc8 secures bishop, White has a stable advantage; he is
a decisive advantage. likely to follow up with a d4- or f4-break.

Almost as bad is: 23...£d8?! 24.¦e1 ¤f8 10.g4

25.¦e7! £xd6 26.gxh6± Then 26...gxh6? The most active way of playing the position.
27.¦f7 is hopeless. So forced is 26...£xh6 and
then 27.£xh6† gxh6 28.¦e8 ¢g7 29.¥a6± is

a forcing line to win material.   
 
24.gxh6 gxh6 25.£xd4†
White has four pawns for the piece, but    
with accurate play Black might make a draw.    
Nevertheless, White’s side is much more
pleasant to play; the game has two plausible
  
results. 
  
   

162 Part I – Bishop’s Opening

We will consider B1) 10...a5 and 19.¤d2 ¤e6 20.¤xe4 ¤xd4 21.¢b1, with a
B2) 10...¤a6. decisive advantage thanks to the attack on the
kingside.
B1) 10...a5 11.a3!±

Black has played ...a7-a5 too late, and White   
now has no need for a2-a4. What makes all  
the difference is that after ...¤a6 Black doesn’t
have the important b4-square available. As we   
shall see in the variations following 7...a5 8.a4,    
it is this very possibility of ...¤b4 that enables
Black to obtain compensation for a material
  
deficit. 
11...¤a6
   
It doesn’t help Black to play 11...a4 12.¥a2    
¦a5, as he cannot get at the b2-pawn: 
13.0–0–0 12.g5 dxe4
 Or 12...¤d7 13.exd5± with an extra pawn
    and a big advantage.
 
13.dxe4 ¤d7 14.h4±
    On ...¤ac5 White withdraws with ¥a2. He
    then castles long and sets about mating the
  black king.
 
   B2) 10...¤a6
   
   
And now let’s see two options:
 
a) 13...¦b5 14.¤c4!? (the simple 14.g5 ¤e8   
15.h4 £b6 16.£e3± also preserves a large plus
after the exchange of queens) 14...¤bd7 15.g5
   
¤e8 16.h4± Black’s pieces are too clumsily   
placed. He gains nothing from 16...£c7? 
17.¤e3 £b6 18.exd5+–, as the b2-pawn
cannot be taken owing to ¤c4.   
   
b) 13...¤e8 14.h4 ¤c7 15.£g3 ¤d7 16.¤f3±
as in Bajt – Almeida, corr. 2016. Black has no

11.g5 dxe4 12.dxe4
time to create counterplay. In the game there
In the game Dastan – A. Saric, Izmir 2016,
followed 16...¦e8 17.g5 £e7 18.d4! dxe4
White played 12.£f5 which Black could
 Chapter 8 – 5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 163

have answered with: 12...¤h5!?N 13.¤xe4 but in these positions Black has some
g6 14.£f3 (14.£xe5 ¦e8 15.£c3 £xg5÷) counterplay.
14...¤c5 15.¤xc5 £a5†= with a comfortable 16...¤d6
game for Black. 
   
     
     
   
      
       
      
    
   
17.¦hg1
    Less convincing is 17.¤f5 ¤xf5 18.exf5 e4
 (unlike 17.¦hg1 ¦ad8 18.¤f5 here Black
has had no reason to put a rook on d8). For
12...¤d7
The other knight retreat is also worth example on 19.£g3 Black can play 19...¦ae8
studying: and ...£e5.
12...¤e8 13.h4 ¤c5 14.0–0–0 £e7 17...¦ad8 18.¤f5 ¤xf5 19.exf5²
After 19...¤xb3† 20.axb3 £b4 21.£g3 or
 19...¦xd1† 20.¦xd1 ¤xb3† 21.axb3 £b4
  22.£g3 White has a stable advantage thanks
  to the initiative on the kingside.
    
       
   
   
     
       
    
Here White can get an advantage in several
ways; I will give two small options:  
15.¤c4   
Or: 15.a3!? ¤xb3† 16.£xb3 ¤d6 17.¦he1²
White placed the rook on e1 so that he could
   
play ¤f3 and then push h4-h5. 
15...b5 16.¤e3! 13.h4 ¤ac5 14.0–0–0
Also possible is 16.¤a5 £c7 when White White’s play is straightforward and strong.
also has an edge after, for example, 17.£e3
¤xb3† 18.¤xb3 or 17.£c3!? ¤xe4 18.£e1, 14...£e7
164 Part I – Bishop’s Opening

Or: 14...a5 15.a3 ¤xb3† 16.¤xb3 £e7 C) 7...a5!

17.£c3 a4 18.¤a5² With a knight on c4 and
a sure advantage, for example, 18...¤c5 19.f3

f6 20.gxf6 ¦xf6 21.¤c4.  
Maybe it’s better to try 18...¤b6!? although  
after 19.¢b1 f6 20.f3 Black has a nasty
position.    
   
15.¤c4²
   
  
    
   
    
     Aiming to induce a2-a4 before Black
   develops the remaining minor pieces. Of
course White can also play 8.a3 or 8.c3, but
   even so this line is better than the immediate
   7...¤bd7 or 7...¥g4.
   We will mainly consider C1) 8.a4 and
C2) 8.c3.

Now unsuccessful for Black is 15...a5 With 8.a3, White is counting on 8...¥g4.
16.¤d6 g6 17.a3, with a big plus. However, after 8...¤bd7 White’s move turns
out to have a defect compared with 8.a4: at
On 15...¦ad8 White can also play 16.¤d6, some point his b2-pawn may be left hanging.
with a pleasant position after 16...g6 17.¦d2 I will demonstrate this using the example of
or 16...¤xb3† 17.axb3 ¤c5 18.¤f5. Aronian – Caruana, Paris 2018, which went:
8.a3 ¤bd7 (the position after 8...¥g4 9.h3
Trickier is 15...¦fd8!? to answer 16.¤d6 with ¥xf3 10.£xf3 0–0 11.g4² was examined
16...¤xb3† 17.axb3 ¤f8 18.¤f5 £b4! when in variation B above) 9.0–0 a4 10.¥a2 0–0
Black will soon play ...¤e6 and be close to 11.¦e1 ¦e8 12.d4 exd4 13.exd5 ¦xe1†
equality. Therefore on 15...¦fd8 White does 14.£xe1 cxd5÷
better to play 16.¤e3! ¤xb3† 17.axb3 ¤f8, 
and White retains an edge after 18.£f5 or  
18.¢b1.

    
   
   
   
 
    

 Chapter 8 – 5...¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2 165

At this point, in contrast to the variations 11.d4

with 8.a4, it isn’t so good for White to capture An interesting alternative is:
at once on d4, on account of ...£b6. Here is
a sample variation: 15.¤xd4 (after 15.¤f1 11.exd5!? cxd5
£b6 16.£b4 £xb4 17.axb4 d3= Black has no Better than 11...¤xd5 12.d4 exd4 13.¦xe8†
problems) 15...£b6 16.¤f5 £xb2 17.¤e7† £xe8 14.¥xd5 cxd5 15.¤f1²; after ¤xd4
¢f8!? 18.¤xd5 With an equal position after the second knight will go to e3, giving
18...¤xd5 19.¥xd5 £d4 or 18...£xa3 19.¥b3 White a clear plus.
£c5. 12.¤b1

C1) 8.a4 

Now Black has and
C12) 8...¥g4!?.
C11) 8...¤bd7
    
   
C11) 8...¤bd7 9.0–0 0–0 10.¦e1    
  
  
    
 
    The sort of manoeuvre that could be
    incorporated in a textbook on strategy.
12...b6 13.¤c3 ¥b7 14.¤b5
   
   
   
        
  
    
10...¦e8
Or 10...£c7 11.d4 exd4 12.exd5, and now:  
  
a) 12...cxd5 13.¤xd4 ¤c5 14.¤f1 gives one of    
those typical positions with an isolated pawn 
on d5 and a small plus for White. White has beautifully repositioned his
knight on b5 and threatens to go to d6; I
b) 12...c5 is weaker: 13.c3! (the game Cornette have come to the conclusion that Black does
– Le Roux, Nîmes 2018, went 13.c4 dxc3, but better not to prevent the following knight
in this case the capture of the c-pawn was by manoeuvre.
no means obligatory) 13...dxc3 14.bxc3 ¤b6 14...¥c6!?
15.c4² The powerful d5-pawn gives White a 14...£b8 15.d4 e4 16.¤d2 gives White a
considerable advantage. slight edge; he meets 16...¤f8 with 17.f3,
while a good answer to 16...¥c6 is 17.c4!.
166 Part I – Bishop’s Opening

15.¤d6 In Variation A (page 159) we saw the same

After 15.c3 the position is somewhat position except with the pawns still on a2
simplified: 15...¥xb5 16.axb5 £c7= and a7. In that case, the move ...c6-c5 was
15...¦e7 critical, as d5-d6 could be met by ...b7-b5.
Not: 15...¦e6? 16.¤xf7± In the present position, after 13...c5?! 14.d6!
16.¤f5 ¦e8 the ...b5-push is impossible, so Black would
 simply be much worse.
 
14.¤xd4 ¤c5 15.£e5
 
    
    
     
      
  
       
    
The knight has made a long journey from d2    
via b1 and b5 to f5; the question is whether
this gives White any advantage.
  
17.£d2 h6÷     
Black covers the g5-square; and although
visually White’s pieces are rather better placed,

The isolated pawn on d5 gives White a small
the position remains unclear. but stable advantage.



   
   
  
  
  
   

11...exd4 12.exd5 ¦xe1† 13.£xe1
If 13.¤xe1, then apart from 13...cxd5 Black
can very well play 13...c5!?.

13...cxd5
 Abridged Variation Index
The Variation Index in the book is 8 pages long. Below is an abridged version giving just the main
variations, not the sub-variations.

Part I: Bishop’s Opening

Chapter 1 Chapter 5

1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3

¥d6
A) 2...f5?! 14
B) 2...c6 15 A) 6.exd5!? 79
C) 2...d6 17 B) 6.¤c3 101
D) 2...¤c6 3.d3 17
D1) 3...¤a5?! 18 Chapter 6
D2) 3...¥c5 18
E) 2...¤f6 3.d3 d5?! 19 1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3
a5 6.a4 ¥b4† 7.c3 ¥d6 8.exd5
Chapter 2
A) 8...¤xd5 112
1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¥c5 3.d3 ¤f6 4.¤c3 B) 8...cxd5 114

A) 4...h6 23 Chapter 7
B) 4...d6 24
C) 4...c6 25 1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3
¥b4†
Chapter 3
A) 6.c3 143
1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 ¤c6 4.¤c3 B) 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.£xd2!? 143

A) 4...¥b4 38 Chapter 8
B) 4...¥c5 45
C) 4...¤a5 53 1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 d5 5.¥b3
¥b4† 6.¥d2 ¥xd2† 7.¤bxd2
Chapter 4
A) 7...¤bd7 159
1.e4 e5 2.¥c4 ¤f6 3.d3 c6 4.¤f3 B) 7...¥g4 161
C) 7...a5! 164
A) 4...¥e7 61
B) 4...d5 5.¥b3 £c7!? 64
 The Italian Renaissance I: Move Orders, Tricks & Alternatives

Part II: Petroff Defence

Chapter 9 Chapter 14

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4
5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 0–0 8.£d2
A) 3...£e7?! 184 ¤d7 9.0–0–0 ¤e5 10.¤xe5!? dxe5 11.¥d3
B) 3...¤xe4 186
A) 11...c6 236
Chapter 10 B) 11...¥e6 240

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 Chapter 15

5.¤c3 ¤f6 6.d4
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4
A) 6...g6!? 189 5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 0–0 8.£d2
B) 6...d5 190 ¤d7 9.0–0–0 ¤e5 10.¢b1

Chapter 11 A) 10...¦e8 246

B) 10...¤xf3 247
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 C) 10...¥e6!? 251
5.¤c3 ¤f6 6.d4 ¥e7 7.¥d3!? 0–0 8.0–0 D) 10...c6 256

A) 8...d5 193 Chapter 16

B) 8...¦e8 194
C) 8...¥g4 195 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4
D) 8...¤c6!? 196 5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 0–0 8.£d2
¤d7 9.0–0–0 ¤f6 10.¥d3 c5
Chapter 12
A) 11.¢b1 269
1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 B) 11.¦he1 272
5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 ¤c6 8.£d2
Chapter 17
A) 8...¥e6 203
B) 8...¤e5 9.0–0–0 ¤xf3 213 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4
5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 0–0 8.£d2
Chapter 13 ¤d7 9.0–0–0 c6

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6 3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 A) 10.¥d3 285

5.¤c3 ¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3 0–0 8.£d2 B) 10.¢b1 289

A) 8...£e8 217
B) 8...¤c6 217
C) 8...b6 219