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Evans Gambit C51–C52

Sacrifice for initiative

Final position of the Evans Gambit main line

Main Line (4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5)

A sharp and romantic gambit: after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5, White offers a pawn with 4.b4 to gain time and open lines. The Evans Gambit was one of the most popular openings in the 19th century and remains a potent attacking weapon.

The Evans Gambit offers White tremendous attacking chances for the cost of a single pawn. Development, open lines, and a lead in initiative make it one of the most dangerous gambits in chess. It is perfect for players who enjoy attacking chess and putting pressure on their opponents from the very first moves.

Key strategic ideas

  • White sacrifices a pawn on b4 to gain time for d4 and rapid development. The initiative often lasts well into the middlegame.
  • The bishops on c4 and the b2-bishop after c3-Bb2 target Black's weakened kingside.
  • Black has several defences, but all require precise play to weather White's initial attack.

Common mistakes & traps

  • A famous trap: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.d5 Na5 10.Bg5! with a winning attack.
  • If Black tries to hold the gambit pawn with ...Ba5 and ...b5, White plays a4! to open lines on the queenside.

Pawn structure notes

After the gambit, White typically has pawns on e4, d4, and c3, while Black has pawns on d6, e5, and the extra b-pawn. White aims to open lines for attack; Black tries to consolidate and return the pawn for a safe position.

Name origin

Named after the Welsh sea captain William Davies Evans (1790–1872), who invented the gambit in the 1820s. It was a favourite of many 19th-century greats including Adolf Anderssen and Paul Morphy.

Famous practitioners & games

Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, Garry Kasparov, Hikaru Nakamura

Anderssen vs Dufresne
Berlin · 1852 · 1-0

The Immortal Game — one of the most celebrated attacking games in history, featuring an Evans Gambit.
Kasparov vs Anand
World Championship · 1995 · 1-0

Kasparov revived the Evans Gambit at the world championship level and scored a famous victory.

Lines

Main Line (4...Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5) intermediate
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4
5. c3 Ba5
6. d4 exd4
7. O-O d6
8. cxd4 Bb6
9. d5 Na5
10. Bb2 Ne7
11. Bd3 O-O
12. Nc3 Ng6
Black accepts the gambit and retreats the bishop to a5, keeping it on the long diagonal. White builds a strong centre and attacks. The main line of the Evans Gambit.
Practice
Lasker Defense (5...Bc5) advanced
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4
5. c3 Bc5
6. d4 exd4
7. O-O d6
8. cxd4 Bb6
9. Nc3 Na5
10. Bg5 f6
11. Be3 Nxc4
12. Qa4+ Bd7
13. Qxc4 Ne7
Instead of retreating to a5, Black returns the bishop to c5. This defence was championed by Emanuel Lasker and is considered one of the most resilient.
Practice
Compromised Defense (5...Be7) intermediate
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4
5. c3 Be7
6. d4 Na5
7. Bd3 d5
8. Qe2 Nf6
9. O-O O-O
Black retreats the bishop to e7, a modest but solid square. This defence is called "Compromised" because Black concedes more space to White, but the position remains playable and less theoretical.
Practice
Evans Gambit Declined (4...Bb6) intermediate
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bb6
5. a4 a6
6. Bd5 Nf6
7. Bxc6 dxc6
8. O-O Bg4
9. h3 Bh5
10. g4 Bg6
11. Nxe5 Nxe4
12. Qf3 Qd4
Black declines the gambit by retreating the bishop to b6. White still gets a slight space advantage and can expand on the queenside, but Black avoids the sharp tactics of the accepted lines.
Practice
Slow Variation (6.O-O) intermediate
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4
5. c3 Ba5
6. O-O d6
7. d4 Bb6
8. Bg5 Nf6
9. Nbd2 O-O
White castles before pushing d4, a slower approach that keeps the position more closed. This variation was a favourite of the Romantic era and remains a practical alternative.
Practice