Fianchetto
ChessKids are not only chess geniuses; they can also say things in other languages! Learn everything about the fianchetto, an Italian word that players use quite often in chess.
Here's what you need to know about the fianchetto:
- What Is A Fianchetto?
- Why Does The Fianchetto Matter?
- Show Off Your Fianchetto Skills
- Wrapping Up
- Fianchetto Video
What Is A Fianchetto?
Fianchetto is an Italian word that means "little flank." In chess, we use that word when bishops develop to the long diagonal.
Imagine that you're playing White and want to develop your bishop. You can start the game with 1.e4 to make way for your light-squared bishop to develop on the f1-a6 diagonal.
However, you can also fianchetto your bishop by developing it to g2, where it will sit on the long diagonal. To do that, you would have to play 1.g3 first.
In the example above, notice that the white bishop does not go all the way to h3. Instead, it stops once it hits the g2-square to point to the center (in this case, the e4 and d5 squares).
In short, when White places their bishop on b2 or g2, we say that those are fianchettoed bishops. The same is true for Black if they put their bishops on b7 or g7.
Why Does The Fianchetto Matter?
The main point behind fianchettoing your bishop is to attack the center without bringing it out into the open. A fianchettoed bishop stays safe and cozy behind the pawns. On many occasions, it also enjoys the protection of the king after the player castles.
When bishops are fianchettoed, they occupy the longest diagonal on the board. This is usually a good idea since bishops are long-range pieces.
The main disadvantage of fianchettoing your bishop is that it creates weak squares around it. Those weak squares won't matter as much as long as you can protect them with your bishop.
However, you might get in trouble if your opponent can trade that bishop off the board because you'll have a hard time defending those squares.
Show Off Your Fianchetto Skills
Now that you know what a fianchettoed bishop is, it's time for you to show off your fianchettoing skills! Read the instructions to solve each of the puzzles below.
Puzzle 01: You are playing as White, and you want to fianchetto your light-squared bishop. What moves should you play?
Puzzle 02: You are now playing as Black, and you want to fianchetto your bishop that's not developed. What moves do you need to play?
Wrapping Up
You now know what a fianchetto is and why players choose to fianchetto their bishops. Head over to our Lessons page to learn other crucial chess concepts so you can become a chess ninja!