The Greco Defence named after Gioachino Greco (c. 1600 – c. 1634), is a chess opening

Chess opening

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...

 beginning with the moves:

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Qf6

The opening is categorized as ECO

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...

 code C40.

Discussion

Of the several plausible ways

King's Knight Opening

The King's Knight Opening is a chess opening consisting of the moves:The opening is likely to continue into one of a number of other named openings, depending mainly on Black's second move.-Popular continuations:...

 Black has to defend his e-pawn

Pawn (chess)

The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...

, 2...Qf6 is considered one of the weaker choices, since the queen

Queen (chess)

The queen is the most powerful piece in the game of chess, able to move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Each player starts the game with one queen, placed in the middle of the first rank next to the king. With the chessboard oriented correctly, the white queen starts...

 is developed prematurely and can become a target for attack. Also, the black knight on g8 is deprived of its most natural square. There is, however, no obvious refutation of this opening; White's advantage consists mainly of being able to develop more smoothly.

Although it is a popular opening choice by novice players, it has also been used by players, who according to International Master Gary Lane

Gary Lane

Gary William Lane is a professional chess player and author. He became an International Master in 1987 and won the Commonwealth Chess Championship in 1988...

, "should know better".

Greco game

Greco himself illustrated the following amusing line against this defense in 1620:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6?! 3. Bc4 Qg6 4. 0-0 Qxe4 5. Bxf7+ Ke7

5...Kxf7?? 6.Ng5+ wins the black queen.

6. Re1 Qf4 7. Rxe5+ Kxf7 8. d4 Qf6 9. Ng5+ Kg6 10. Qd3+ Kh6 11. Nf7# 1–0