In the Italian game after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 White has several plans. One of the most aggressive which leads to open positions with a lot of tactical possibilities is, after 4.c3 Nf6 to seize an early initiative in the centre after 5.d4. The move 5.d4 constitutes an attack on the bishop on c5. Black’s best move is to exchange the pawns with 5...exd4, but after 6.cxd4 White has at his disposition a dangerous mobile pawn duo. Here already Black has to play with great accuracy. Thus the retreat 6...Bb6 would be bad, because it would give White’s central pawns the opportunity to advance. Instead of that, he has to play 6...Bb4+, in order to force White to react to the check.
Greco preferred the gambit continuation 7.Nc3, which leads to tactically complicated positions, in which White does not shrink from further material sacrifices. After 7...Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 Möller’s 9.d5
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