The Evans Gambit

The Evans Gambit is characterized by the moves:

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Bc5
4.b4
The Evans Gambit is an aggressive variant of the
Giuoco Piano, which normally continues with the
positional moves 4.c3 or 4.d3. The idea behind
4.b4 is to give up a pawn in order to secure a
strong centre and focus on Black's weakest point,
f7. Ideas based on Ba3, preventing Black from
castling, are also often in the air. According to
Reuben Fine, the Evans poses a challenge for
Black since the usual defenses (play ...d6 and/or
give back the gambit pawn) are more difficult to
accomplish than with other gambits.

Captain William Davies Evans

1790-1872

The gambit is named after the Welsh sea Captain William Davies Evans, the first player
known to have employed it. The first game beginning with this opening is believed to be
Evans - McDonnell, London 1827, via a slightly different move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O d6 5.b4.
The famous 'Evergreen Game' started off with the Evans Gambit:
Anderssen,A - Dufresne,J
Berlin, 1852
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 d3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6
10.Re1 Nge7 11.Ba3 b5 12.Qxb5 Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6 14.Nbd2 Bb7 15.Ne4 Qf5 16.Bxd3 Qh5
17.Nf6+ gxf6 18.exf6 Rg8 19.Rad1 Qxf3 20.Rxe7+ Nxe7:

21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Bf5+ Ke8 23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7 mate 1-0

Final Position

Game Analysis by NM Will Stewart

The gambit can be declined with 4...Bb6, when 5.a4 a6 is the normal continuation. Due to the
loss of tempo involved, most commentators consider declining the Evans Gambit to be
weaker than accepting it and then giving back the pawn at a later stage. Also, Black can play
the rare Countergambit Variation 4...d5, but this is thought to be rather dubious.
The most obvious and usual way for Black to meet the gambit is to accept it with 4...Bxb4,
after which White plays 5.c3 and Black usually follows up with 5...Ba5 (5...Be7 and, less
often 5...Bc5 and 5...Bd6, the Stone Ware Variation, are also played). White usually follows
up with 6.d4.
Emanuel Lasker's line is 4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 d6 7.0-0 Bb6 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8
10.Nxe5 Be6. This variation takes the sting out of White's attack by returning the gambit
pawn and exchanging queens, and according to Fine, the resulting simplified position "is
psychologically depressing for the gambit player" whose intent is usually an aggressive
attack.
Chigorin did a lot of analysis on the alternative 9.Qb3 Qf6 10.Bg5 Qg6 11.Bd5 Nge7 12.Bxe7
Kxe7 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.Nxe5 Qe6, which avoids the exchange of queens, but reached no clear
verdict. Instead White often avoids this line with 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.dxe5, when Black can return
the pawn with 8...Bb6 or hold onto it with 8...dxe5, though White obtains sufficient
compensation in this line.

Alternatively Black can meet 6.d4 with 6...exd4, when White can try 7.Qb3, a move often
favoured by Nigel Short. 7.0-0 is traditionally met by 7...Nge7 intending to meet 8.Ng5 or
8.cxd4 with 8...d5, returning the pawn in many lines, rather than the materalistic 7...dxc3
which is well met by 8.Qb3 with a very dangerous initiative for the sacrificed pawns.
Alternatively 7...d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 is known as the Normal Position, in which Black is content to
settle for a one-pawn advantage and White seeks compensation in the form of open lines and a
strong centre.
Much of the above information is taken from Wikipedia.

Pay attention now, class, as 'Professor' Krzymowski takes you through this great attacking
system:
Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Other Introductory Evans Gambit Videos from YouTube

Other Chessville resources on the Evans Gambit:
 Evans Gambit Database Courtesy of Clyde Nakamura (The Search for Dragons and
Mythical Chess Openings)
 Annotated Game - Hughes vs Karagianis - annotated by Tyler Hughes

Other Evans Gambit Resources on the Internet:

 Wikipedia
 An Introduction to the Evans Gambit, by Richard Westbrook
 Articulo y video en español sobre el Gambito Evans disponible aqui
 articles from (www.jeremysilman.com)
 Theory in the Evans Gambit - A Key Line Reassessed
 Evans Gambit Redux
 More on the Evans Gambit
 ChessCafe articles by Tim Harding
 The Search for Truth in the Evans Gambit
 Chigorin's Experiences with the Evans Gambit
 GM Boris Alterman - Chess Lessons
 Evans Gambit – Part 1
 Evans Gambit – Part 2
 Evans Gambit – Part 3
 Evans Gambit – Part 4
 Evans Gambit – Part 5
 The Evans Gambit - compiled by Steven Craig Miller
 ChessVideos.tv - The Evans Gambit Full Analysis #1
 ChessVideos.tv - The Evans Gambit Full Analysis #2
 ChessVideos.tv - The Evans Gambit Full Analysis #3
 ChessVideos.tv - The Evans Gambit Full Analysis #4
  The Conquest Attack in the Evans Gambit Declined
chess trap # 11 Evans Gambit

chess trap # 12 Evans Gambit

Book reviews related to the Evans Gambit:

Italian Game and Evans Gambit

by Jan Pinski
reviewed by Rick Kennedy