I'm not certain where the Moeller begins.  Does that start with 8...Nxc3?  Or does it start earlier with 7.Nc3?

I thought the line that killed the Giuoco Piano was:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 ed 6.cd Bb4+ 7.Nc3?! Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3! 9.d5! Bf6! 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 14.Qe2 hxg5 15.Re1 Be6 and White's got nothing but a few cheap tricks.  One idea is based on getting the Re4 over to the h-file via Re4-e3-h3.  But objectively this line seems very bad for White.  Simply losing. 

Soltis covered it in his book on the Giuoco Piano and Two Knights defense, but I don't think he came up with anything convincing for White in this line.   

I also remember seeing this line in Karpov's old book on the open game, but I think he, too, found White wanting.

However, I think 8...Nxc3, as seen in your game, keeps the game alive for both sides.  I seem to recall that this is the Moeller proper.  I haven't studied it in a long time, but in my notes I have 9.bxc3 Be7?! 10.d5 Na5 11.d6 when White is doing okay after both 11...cxd6 and 11...Bxd6.  Either way White has a nice lead in development.  I wouldn't claim White is winning, but I don't think he's dead, either.

As far as a plan, this is a fairly classic open game kind of situation.  It's all about development, mobility, and tactics.  In fact, White has some interesting tries based on the sac Bxf7+, trying to flush Black's king out in the open.   

I enjoyed 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 games.  I recall most people played 3..Nf6, though.

Hi guys, i've recently re-introduced the giuco piano in my games, as it was once a favourite of mine when i first began to play the game. I employed it in a tournament in Dublin against a 2000 graded player and soon remembered why i had given it up in the first place. After the opening moves:

1.e4,e5
2.Nf3,Nc6
3.Bc4,Bc5
4.c3,Nf6
5.d4,exd4
6.cxd4,Bb4
7.Nc3!?,Nxe4
8.0-0,Nxc3
9.bxc3,Be7

Okay i should have expected this move which cost me a pawn. I think that in this position, white has very little compensation for the pawn. If anybody can show me a possible plan for white,or any ideas i would be delighted. (by the way i managed to draw the above game by some fluke!)

Cheers, DarMc