We are happy to present the new author: the famous GM Luis Supi (currently number one in Brazil with a rating of 2608). In his first project for Modern Chess, GM Supi covers his favorite opening - the Italian Game. In a two-part series, he will provide an extremely practical and easy-to-learn repertoire for White.
We are happy to present the new author: the famous GM Luis Supi (currently number one in Brazil with a rating of 2608). In his first project for Modern Chess, GM Supi covers his favorite opening – the Italian Game. In a two-part series, he will provide an extremely practical and easy-to-learn repertoire for White. Moreover, GM Supi reveals his Italian preparation for the Wijk an Zee 2023!
The writing style of GM Supi is really unique. Instead of overloading the material with endless lines, he uses a lot of verbal explanations, so that you can start feeling the spirit of the opening. Usually, the suggested lines are quite rare, practically unexplored, and based on understanding.
Before the theoretical chapters, GM Supi provides model examples that are designed to explain the strategic framework of the suggested repertoire.
The database consists of 4 Model Examples, 6 Theoretical Chapters, 3 Move Order Exercises, 4 Model Games, 10 Interactive Tests, a Memory Booster, and a Video Version (2h and 35min).
Preview by the Author:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Dear reader, before starting to analyze the more concrete theory about this wonderful opening, I would like to say a few things about the opening itself. Generally, in this kind of text, the author follows with some historical comments and explains why the Italian is being played at the top level. I find this kind of commentary not too helpful. My idea is to explain my personal experience with the opening itself and share with you my findings when preparing for this opening to use in the recent Tata Steel Challengers tournament.
First of all, the Italian has been part of my repertoire since my childhood. I never really liked the type of forcing play that arises in many of the Ruy Lopez variations, and the flexibility of the Italian always attracted me much more.
Of course, with time, my knowledge about the theory of this opening started to grow, but the thing that keeps me interested in the Italian is EXACTLY the same: FLEXIBILITY and safety. You will not lose a game if you forget some concrete move. And at the same time, you can keep playing ONLY the Italian all your life, varying your moves. The quantity of move orders that White can try is really infinite.
These are the things that you should keep in mind: Be flexible, try different move orders, try to understand the “why” behind the moves, and you can definitely play the Italian for the rest of your life! (Well, I know it looks exaggerated, but I have been playing it practically non-stop for 15 years, so why not?)
This, in itself, is more than a reason to do a course about it. But recently, I was invited to play in the Tata Steel Challengers tournament and decided to do an even more serious investigation about this opening. I found many interesting things. These things, and much more, I would like to share with you in the next games. In this one, I just want to mention the directions the course will take! So let’s start.
The current database deals with 3…Bc5. The main alternative 3…Nf6 and all kinds of different ideas (Believe me, recently Black players found A LOT of them!) will be analyzed in Part 2.
The main starting position of my current survey arises after 3…Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 4.Nc3
This is the move I will be advocating in this series. I promise it is much more interesting than it looks! When I started to analyze the positions that arise from here, I realized that in the majority of the main lines, there are either no games yet or only a few dozen in most cases. I started to understand why many Italian experts are now using this line on a regular basis. From here, Black has many options, all of which may look the same at first, but by the end of this course, you will understand that they are all very different, and Black has to act with care from the very first moves to avoid immediately entering into a strange situation. In the first chapters, I will include some critical positions that we hope for and explain to you exactly why they are better for us. It is not possible to play this opening without understanding these kinds of things.
Outline:
Chapter 1 – Setups with Early …d7-d6
Chapter 2 – Setups with Early …a7-a6
Chapter 3 – Setups with Early …a7-a6
Chapter 4 – Setups with Early …h7-h6
Chapter 5 – Bonus Option against 5…h6
Chapter 6 – Bonus Option against 5…a6
About the Author:
GM Luis Supi [2612 FIDE]
was awarded the FIDE titles of FIDE Master (FM) and International Master (IM) in 2013 and Grandmaster (GM) in 2018. In April 2018, he was awarded the title of Grandmaster (GM). He represented Brazil in the 2018 Chess Olympiad, finishing with a score of 6½/10 (+5-2=3) on board three.
In an online blitz game played in May 2020, GM Supi defeated Magnus Carlsen in 18 moves after sacrificing his own Queen. The game became popular on social media, as Carlsen broadcast it live and was left surprised by the last move. In 2021, Chess.com awarded that game the first spot in their Immortal Game Contest. The same year, he became the Brazilian Chess Champion (87th Brazilian Absolute Chess Championship).
