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Gioacchino Greco (1600–c.1634) was an Italian chess player and writer. Greco recorded some of the first chess games on record, 77 in total. His games, all against anonymous opponents ("NN"), were quite possibly constructs, but acted as highly useful tools for spotting opening traps.

History

Gioachino Greco was a remarkable chess player between Ruy López de Segura and François-André Danican Philidor. As one of the players during the age of "Italian Romantic Style", he studied the Italian opening (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4), and published his analysis in the form of short games around 1625. In 1665, after his death, the manuscripts were published in London. These games are regarded as classics of early chess literature and are still sometimes taught to beginners. Greco loved to use the Sicilian Defence, which was invented by an Italian bishop.

Greco paved the way for many of the attacking legends of the Romantic era, such as Paul Morphy and François Philidor.

Among his games/constructions were the first smothered mate:

NN vs Greco 1620

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.Re1 O-O 6.c3 Qe7 7.d4 exd4 8.e5 Ng4 9.cxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Qh4 11.Nf3 Qxf2+ 12.Kh1 Qg1+ 13.Nxg1 Nf2# 0-1

and this cute queen sacrifice:

Greco vs NN 1619

1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 f5 4.exf5 Bxg2 5.Qh5+ g6 6.fxg6 Nf6 7.gxh7 Nxh5 8.Bg6# 1-0

See also: Greco Defence

Greco, Giocchino Greco, Giocchino Greco, Giocchino Greco, Giocchino

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