The Italian: Four Knights Bc5 — How to Play It as White

With 5.a3, you're not trying to seize a forced advantage — there isn't one. Instead, you're steering the game toward a patient, positional middlegame. The move does two important things: it prevents Black from pinning your knight with ...Bg4, and it clears the way for b2-b4, which would chase the bishop on c5 and gain space on the queenside. Black's most natural response is 5...d6, which the engine confirms is the best move, leading to 6.d3 a5 7.Be3 and a balanced Italian struggle. Your job as White is to develop calmly (d3, Be3, 0-0), control the centre with your e4- and d3-pawns, and look for chances on the kingside when Black misplaces a piece.

Black's best reply is 5...d6 (the engine's top pick). This solid centre move opens lines for Black's bishop and queen while keeping the position closed. The most common continuation is 6.d3 a5 7.Be3 — your dark-squared bishop challenges Black's most active piece on c5. You should feel comfortable here: the position is symmetrical in structure and the game will revolve around who gets to break first. With White, you can aim for an eventual f2-f4 break or a kingside attack once you castle.

Across nearly a million Lichess games, this position produces remarkably balanced results: White wins 49.1%, draws 3.9%, and Black wins 47.0%. That tiny gap confirms the engine's verdict: this is as even as chess gets. The most popular reply is 5...0-0 (321,814 games, White scores 49.7%). Castling is natural, but it doesn't improve Black's chances. Next is 5...d6 (249,247 games, White scores 46.6% — Black does slightly better here by sticking to the engine line). The surprising statistic? The 'aggressive' knight move 5...Ng4 appears in over 68,000 games, and White scores a healthy 51.6% against it. That's because... it's a mistake.

If your opponent plays 5...Ng4, they are making an inaccuracy that costs them roughly 0.9 pawns (the engine says the better move was 5...d6). That might not sound like much, but in a dead-level position, it shifts the balance in your favour. Black threatens nothing serious — the knight on g4 can be chased away with h3, forcing it back to f6 or to the awkward square h6. Do not react with panic; just play h3 and continue developing. If Black retreats to h6, your kingside space advantage (h3 and g4 ideas) can become a real threat. The 51.6% White scoring rate against 5...Ng4 shows that practical players handle this well.