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Italian Game · As Black · updated October 2026

Play against the Italian Game like Michael Roiz

A repertoire against the Italian Game built from 31 of Michael Roiz's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Michael Roiz chose most often. Where Michael Roiz has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Michael Roiz or Chess.com.

  • Michael Roiz was #26 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,238) and scored 63% against opponents averaging 3,004 in these games.
  • You play Michael Roiz's own move in 9 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#26

Chess.com

Rating

3,238

Games

31

in this opening

Score

63%

in these games

Opponents

3,004

average rating

More about Michael Roiz

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 7 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 10% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.a4 d6

  2. Line 2 · 8% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Nc3 d6 7.a4 a5

  3. Line 3 · 7% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a3 Be6 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Nbd2 a5

  4. Line 4 · 6% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Qe2 Bd6 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.Nc3 c6 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.O-O h6

  5. Line 5 · 6% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Qe2 Bd6 8.Nc3 c6

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Nd7 7.O-O Be7

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 a5 8.Nbd2 Be6

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 a5 8.Nc3 h6 9.h3 Be6

  9. Line 9 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 a5 8.c3 h6 9.Nbd2 Nh7 10.Nf1 Be6

  10. Line 10 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 a5 8.h3 Be6 9.Nbd2 Bxc4 10.Nxc4 h6

  11. Line 11 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 a5 8.h3 Be6 9.Nc3 Bxc4 10.dxc4 Nd7

  12. Line 12 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.a3 d6

  13. Line 13 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5

  14. Line 14 · 5% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.a4 O-O 6.Nc3 d6

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Michael Roiz's main line against the Italian Game, move by move

The most common line at top level: 3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.a4 d6.

  1. 3…Nf6 Your move · Michael Roiz's games Michael Roiz played 3…Nf6 in 31 games, scoring 63%.
  2. 4.d3 Reply · Michael Roiz's games A common reply here is 4.d3. At top level, this comes up about 81% of the time.
  3. 4…Be7 Your move · Michael Roiz's games Michael Roiz played 4…Be7 in 16 games, scoring 69%.
  4. 5.O-O Reply · Michael Roiz's games A common reply here is 5.O-O. At top level, this comes up about 66% of the time.
  5. 5…O-O Your move · Michael Roiz's games Michael Roiz played 5…O-O in 13 games, scoring 62%.
  6. 6.a4 Reply · Michael Roiz's games A common reply here is 6.a4. At top level, this comes up about 10% of the time.
  7. 6…d6 Your move · Top-50 players Michael Roiz has too few games here, so this is the other top players' most played move.

Questions about this course

How does Michael Roiz play against the Italian Game?
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, Michael Roiz's most common line is 3…Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.a4 d6. At top level it comes up about 10% of the time.
Is this Michael Roiz's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Michael Roiz's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Italian Game course based on?
31 of Michael Roiz's Chess.com blitz games in the Italian Game as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 3,004. Michael Roiz scored 63% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
14 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
Who is Michael Roiz?
GM Michael Roiz was ranked number 26 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,238 when this course was built.