Italian Game: Classical Variation, with d5
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d5
The Italian Game: Classical Variation, with d5 is a chess opening classified as ECO C54, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d5. It is a line of the Italian Game. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 484 times by this move order. White won 54%, 3% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 6. exd5 (92% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.68 (Stockfish, depth 47; best line 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. Qb3 Nf6 8. Bxf7+ Kf8)
- ECO
- C54
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/2bpp3/2B1P3/2PP1N2/PP3PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 211 | |
| 1500-1999 | 236 | |
| 2000+ | 37 | |
| All | 484 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. exd5 | 445 (92%) | |
| 6. Bb3 | 13 (3%) | |
| 6. Bb5 | 10 (2%) | |
| 6. Bxd5 | 3 (1%) | |
| 6. Bg5 | 3 (1%) | |
| 6. O-O | 3 (1%) | |
| 6. Be3 | 2 (0%) | |
| 6. a4 | 2 (0%) |
Master games
68 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 65%, draw 11%, Black 24%). The strongest:
- GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2687) – GM Hrant Melkumyan (2653) 1-0 · TCh-AUT 2016-17 · 2017-03-25
- GM Chithambaram VR. Aravindh (2692) – GM Ngoc Truong Son Nguyen (2600) 1-0 · 1st 3-0 Thu 7th May 2026 · 2026-05-07
- CM Vugar Asadli (2324) – IM Daniel Sadzikowski (2480) 1/2-1/2 · 22nd Abu Dhabi Masters · 2015-08-25
- IM Dariusz Mikrut (2361) – Christopher Repka (2426) 1-0 · TCh-SVK 2015-16 · 2016-01-17
- IM Adrian Gschnitzer (2413) – FM Corey Acor (2223) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 23rd Feb · 2021-02-23
Search all games of the Italian Game: Classical Variation, with d5 and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- LuckyStar2011 (2840) – GM xiaochess (2943) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- CM JohnnyAnto (2417) – ShakkiVemmu (2300) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- noahjb (2340) – plavius (2288) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo (4… Nf6 5. d3) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3
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.