C24 Bishop's Opening

ECO code C24 covers the Bishop's Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4, where White develops the bishop to aim at f7 before committing the king's knight. The main Black reply is 2...Nf6, the Berlin Defence, which hits e4 at once and invites White to choose a plan. With 3.d3 White defends the pawn calmly and keeps a flexible structure, often heading for Nf3, c3 and a later d4, or transposing into Italian Game set-ups. Black can answer 3...c6, preparing ...d5 to claim the centre with gain of time against the bishop on c4.