Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Suhle Defense

This aggressive chess opening leads to imbalanced positions and tactical battles, often featuring early attacks on the f7-square and counterplay in the center.

The opening is characterized by an early attack on the f7-square by White's knight, which is met by Black's counterplay in the center and on the queenside. This defense is named after the Italian chess players Giulio Cesare Polerio and Suhle, who contributed to its development in the 16th and 17th centuries.

In this opening, White aims to exploit the weakness of Black's f7-square by placing the knight on g5, while Black seeks to undermine White's center and create counterplay on the queenside. The key move for Black is to play d5, which challenges White's pawn on e4 and opens up lines for the pieces. White typically captures on d5, and Black's knight jumps to a5, attacking the bishop on c4.

White then plays Bb5+, forcing Black to play c6 and recapture with the b-pawn, which weakens Black's pawn structure. White's bishop retreats to e2, and Black plays h6 to kick the knight away. The resulting positions are highly tactical and can lead to sharp play, with both sides having chances for attack and counterattack.

This opening is suitable for players who enjoy tactical battles and are not afraid of entering complex and imbalanced positions. It has been played by many top players throughout history, including former World Champions Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov.