The Italian Game: Be7 – 4.d4 Puts You in Control

Black's move 3...Be7 is a solid, if slightly passive, choice. Instead of challenging your bishop on c4 or fighting for the centre right away, Black prepares to castle and keeps things simple. Your reply, 4.d4, is the most energetic response. You attack the centre head-on, threatening to win a pawn or force a favourable exchange. If Black captures on d4, you recapture with the knight and gain a clear space advantage. If Black ignores your push, you can keep advancing and open lines for your pieces. The statistics back this up: in over 997,523 games from this exact position, White scores 51.4% — a healthy result that reflects your natural initiative.

The engine says Black's strongest move here is 4...exd4, and it's also by far the most popular choice, appearing in over 731,000 games. After you continue with 5.Nxd4, the typical follow-up is 5...Nf6, and then 6.Nxc6. This exchange leaves you with a solid centre and a small structural edge — your knight on c6 forces Black to recapture with the d-pawn, giving you a 2-1 pawn majority in the centre. White scores 51.7% from this line, so while the advantage is modest, you are the one playing for a win. The drill will let you practise this exact sequence and see how the engine responds.

The database reveals that three of Black's replies are outright errors, and you need to know how to punish each one: • 4...Nf6 (over 31,000 games, 59.4% for White) – This is a clear mistake, losing about 1.6 pawns in evaluation. The engine says 5...d6 was better. Your best answer is to keep pushing forward; the drill will show the engine's punishing continuation. • 4...Nxd4 (over 19,000 games, 61.3% for White) – This is an inaccuracy that loses roughly 0.9 pawns. You can simply recapture with 5.Nxd4 exd4 and enjoy a strong centre and lead in development. • 4...Bf6 (over 6,500 games, 52.0% for White) – A mistake that costs about 1.3 pawns. Black tries to hold the centre but mishandles it. Your reply should target the weaknesses this move creates. In all three cases, your winning chances jump well above your baseline, so stay alert — if Black slips, you have a clear path to a big advantage.

Two other replies deserve attention. 4...d6 is Black's second-most popular move (over 190,000 games) and is actually the engine's recommendation — it avoids the worst mistakes. Still, White scores only 46.7% here, meaning Black is doing relatively well in practice. Don't panic: you're still slightly better (+0.63), and you should continue developing naturally, perhaps with 5.d5 or simple castling. 4...Na5 (over 5,500 games, 57.2% for White) is less common and less sound. Black attacks your bishop on c4, but you can retreat to a good square and maintain your centre. Both lines are covered in the drill so you can practise the proper responses.