Slow Hands, Then Pawn to d4
Modern System 4...Nf6 5.c3 · sung from White's side
Verse 1
My bishop on c4 eyes f7
Pawns on c3 and d3, pure heaven
His bishop on c5 eyes f2
Queens stay on, slow dance for two
Chorus
He plays d6, the dance is on 5...d6
I castle short, rook to e1 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 Bb6
Pawns on c3 and d3 hum along
Slow hands, then d4, the swing's begun
Verse 2
Pawn to h3, that's my cue 8.h3
He plays h6, knight to d2 8...h6 9.Nbd2
His knight to e7, bishop to b3 9...Ne7 10.Bb3
Don't rush the break, patience is the key
Knight to g6, now pawn to d4 10...Ng6 11.d4
More space for me, worth waiting for
Chorus
He plays d6, the dance is on 5...d6
I castle short, rook to e1 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 Bb6
Pawns on c3 and d3 hum along
Slow hands, then d4, the swing's begun
The whole system lives in that last chorus line: castle, rook to e1, h3, knight to d2, bishop to b3 — and only then the d3-d4 break, which arrives in nearly three of every four master games from this position and is the one idea that makes White's slow Italian work.