Chess lessons › Chess openings
The Evans Gambit
Give the b-pawn for time and the centre, and learn how Black takes it, gives it back or declines it.
The idea
White gives the b-pawn to gain time for c3 and d4.
- White offers the b-pawn to the bishop on c5.
- If the bishop takes, c3 hits it and gains time.
- Then d4 builds the centre, and the bishop on c4 aims at f7.
In a game: When Black’s bishop stands on c5 in the Italian, a pawn on b4 can win time for c3 and d4.
How the lesson begins
In the Italian Game, 4.b4 is the Evans Gambit. It is named after William Davies Evans, a Welsh sea captain. The first known game with it is Evans against Alexander McDonnell, London 1827, though there White castled first and played b4 a move later.
White gives the b-pawn to gain time for c3 and d4. Black can take it, or decline it with 4...Bb6. Garry Kasparov played it in a few games, and beat Viswanathan Anand with it in 25 moves at Riga in 1995.
- 4. b4
Black takes the pawn, and 5.c3 hits the bishop. The Main Line is 5...Ba5, where the bishop still eyes c3. The engine likes 5...Be7, the Anderssen Variation, about as much.
Then 6.d4 builds the centre and opens the diagonal of the bishop on c1. White has given a pawn, but Black’s bishop has moved three times.
- 5... Ba5 6. d4
Find the move
If Black grabs everything, 6...exd4 7.O-O dxc3, Black is three pawns up. Lichess calls this the Compromised Defence. White to move: find the queen move that starts the attack.
A hint
Line up the queen behind the bishop.
Show the answer
8. Qb3
8.Qb3 puts the queen behind the bishop on c4, so both aim at f7, which only the king defends. The queen also attacks the pawn on b7. Even three pawns down, the engine prefers White.
In numbers
How often it is played
| Rating | Value |
|---|---|
| Under 800 | Too few games |
| 800 to 1199 | Too few games |
| 1200 to 1599 | 0.3 |
| 1600 to 1999 | 0.3 |
| 2000 and up | Too few games |
How the games ended
White won 60%, 3% were drawn and Black won 37%, over 386 games that start this way, in a sample of rated Lichess games from 2026.