Italian Game: Classical Variation, Ghulam-Kassim Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3
The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Ghulam-Kassim Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C54, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3. It is a line of the Italian Game. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 25 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 9… cxb2 (52% of games).
Engine evaluation: +1.29 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 9… cxb2 10. Bxb2 O-O 11. h3 d6 12. Bxc6)
- ECO
- C54
- Moves
- 17 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n5/2bBP3/8/2p2NK1/PP4PP/RNBQ3R b kq - 1 9- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 6 | |
| 1500-1999 | 16 | |
| 2000+ | 3 | |
| All | 25 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9… cxb2 | 13 (52%) | |
| 9… O-O | 7 (28%) | |
| 9… h5 | 2 (8%) | |
| 9… Ne7 | 1 (4%) | |
| 9… Be7 | 1 (4%) | |
| 9… Nxe5 | 1 (4%) |
Master games
4 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 75%, draw 0%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- WCM Emel Kaya Dikmen (1912) – WFM Daria Yurasova (2107) 0-1 · Motiva Online Women Blitz · 2021-12-18
- Kevin Joel Cori Quispe (2073) – Matej Brcar (1704) 1-0 · WY BU14 2012 · 2012-11-09
- WGM Swathi, G. (2034) – Divyabharathi Masanam (1585) 1-0 · 49th ch-IND w 2023 · 2023-07-05
- Orla Dorman (1464) – William Phillips (1814) 1-0 · 4NCL Online S5 Div2 2022 · 2022-03-22
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Rashaddd88 (2253) – Xidoron (2302) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- synechek (2210) – ludada321 (2246) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- Yen_De_Gorelim2014 (2002) – Robasop41 (2012) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Modern Line (5… exd4 6. e5) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5
More Italian Game lines (all)
- Italian Game C50
- Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense C50
- Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Deutz Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (3… Bc5 4. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… d6 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5. O-O O-O) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… O-O 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Canal Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Dubois Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation C50
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.