Classical Variation, with d5

In the quiet Giuoco Pianissimo structure that follows 5. d3, Black usually plays a slow ...d6 or castles first and prepares the d-pawn advance later. Here Black pushes 5...d5 immediately, hitting the c4-bishop and adding a second attacker to e4, which d3 defends only once. The idea is to free Black's game and claim central space without first spending time on king safety. The drawback is that Black's king remains in the center as lines open, and the e5-pawn can become a target once the d-pawn has left its post beside it.

White almost always answers 6. exd5, which accounts for roughly nine games in ten and is also the engine's first choice. The capture opens the a2-g8 diagonal for the Italian bishop and leaves Black to justify the open center. The engine also lists 6. Bb5 and 6. Bxd5 among its preferred moves. The retreat 6. Bb3 and the developing 6. O-O are rarely played, and Black scores well against both. Overall the engine assigns White a slight edge, and White scores somewhat better than Black in online play.