Chess Openings Lab
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Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation

The La Bourdonnais Variation is the Classical Italian with 4...d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6, where Black gives up the center and parks the bishop on b6. White owns a broad d4 and e4 pawn pair, while Black wants to pressure d4 and pounce on e4 if it is left loose.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6
ECO
C53
Engine
+0.50 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
1,627 games in our lichess sample
White scores
48.5%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Develop with Nc3 first, as the top engine line does, so the e4 pawn is solidly protected before castling.
  • Put the queen on d3 and the bishop on e3, then tuck the c4 bishop back to b3 out of reach.
  • Play h3 early to keep Black's light-squared bishop off g4, where it would pin the f3 knight against d4.
  • Keep the d4 pawn safe and look for d5 later, gaining space and pushing the c6 knight away.

Black

  • Bring the king's knight to f6 and castle short, then aim pieces at the d4 and e4 pawns.
  • If White castles before Nc3, grab with ...Nxe4; after Re1 and Rxe4, the fork ...d5 wins the material back.
  • Use ...Bg4 when allowed to pin the f3 knight and add a third attacker to the d4 pawn.
  • Play ...Re8 and later ...h6 to stop Bg5 and keep pressure on e4 down the e-file.

Plans and pawn structure

White has the classic big center and plays around it: Nc3, Qd3, Be3 and Bb3, then castles and maybe pushes d5 to cramp the c6 knight. Black has a small, solid position with no pawn weaknesses. Black's pieces work against d4 from b6, c6 and sometimes g4, and the f6 knight watches e4. If White's development is careless, Black hits e4 with ...Nxe4 and uses ...d5 to fork the bishop and rook. A well timed d5 or e5 is how White makes progress.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.50: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.50 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Qd3 h6 9.Be3 O-O
  2. +0.50 7.h3 Nf6 8.O-O Nxe4 9.Re1 O-O
  3. +0.49 7.O-O Nf6 8.h3 Nxe4 9.Re1 O-O

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,627 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 48.5%.

under 120041.3%
1200–159951.3%
1600–199947.1%
2000 and up51.5%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, play Nc3 before castling so e4 is not loose, and add h3 to stop ...Bg4. Avoid quick O-O with the knight still on b1: ...Nxe4 is then fine for Black thanks to the ...d5 fork. With Qd3 and Be3 your center stays healthy.

Questions

What are the moves of the Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb6. Its ECO code is C53.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.50 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 1,627 lichess games from our sample, White scored 48.5%. A calm choice for Black players who accept less space for a sound position, while White needs care in move order to keep e4 safe.

What is the main idea of the Italian Game: Classical Variation, La Bourdonnais Variation?

White gets a big d4 and e4 center and tries to keep it healthy with Nc3, Qd3 and Be3. Black stays solid, pressures d4 from b6 and c6, and waits for a chance to win e4.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Nc3, with h3 and O-O close behind. 7.Nc3 protects e4 at once, so Black's ...Nf6 does not threaten the pawn and White can follow with Qd3 and Be3.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.