Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bogoljubow Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3
The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bogoljubow Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C58, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3. It is a line of the Italian Game. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2,214 times by this move order. White won 51%, 3% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 8… Bb7 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 65; best line 8… cxb5 9. Qxa8 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. d4)
- ECO
- C58
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/p4ppp/2p2n2/nB2p1N1/8/5Q2/PPPP1PPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 1 8- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 447 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,334 | |
| 2000+ | 433 | |
| All | 2,214 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… Bb7 | 685 (31%) | |
| 8… cxb5 Two Knights Defense, Blackburne Variation | 335 (15%) | |
| 8… Bd7 | 323 (15%) | |
| 8… Be7 | 278 (13%) | |
| 8… Rb8 Two Knights Defense, Colman Variation | 144 (7%) | |
| 8… h6 | 127 (6%) | |
| 8… e4 | 85 (4%) | |
| 8… Qb6 | 66 (3%) |
Master games
477 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 15%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- GM Erigaisi Arjun (2776) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2766) 1/2-1/2 · Esports World Cup 2025 · 2025-07-31
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2739) – GM Levon Aronian (2747) 0-1 · Superbet ROM Classic 2025 · 2025-05-10
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2687) – GM Alexandr Predke (2690) 1-0 · Collegiate RUS-USA 2021 · 2021-01-09
- GM Erigaisi Arjun (2689) – GM Ray Robson (2682) 1/2-1/2 · 28th Abu Dhabi Masters · 2022-08-23
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2762) – GM Denis Lazavik (2605) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz 2025 · 2025-12-30
Highest-rated Lichess games
- josedavid321 (2686) – alexlele2008 (2637) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- josedavid321 (2661) – IM MassterofMayhem (2619) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- josedavid321 (2650) – IM MassterofMayhem (2618) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bishop Check Line 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+
Continuations
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Blackburne Variation C58 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 cxb5
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Colman Variation C58 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 Rb8
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Paoli Variation C58 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. Bd3
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.