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1.Opening

Evans Gambit

You play WhiteC52GambitIntermediate

A turbocharged Italian. Give up the b-pawn to win time for c3 and d4 and attack before Black castles.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 …

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Main Line: position after 10 moves8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h
Main Line: position after 10 moves
2.Ideas

What the opening is about

Key ideas

  1. b4 deflects the c5 bishop so c3 and d4 come with tempo.
  2. Big center + fast development in exchange for one pawn.
  3. Ba3 can stop Black from castling entirely.
3.Main line

Main line · 19 moves

Main Line

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Your moves Opponent
No. White Black1
e4Grabs the center and opens diagonals for the queen and the light-squared bishop. The most popular first move in chess.
e5Black mirrors White, claiming an equal share of the center and freeing their own queen and bishop.
2
Nf3Develops toward the center and immediately attacks the e5 pawn. Knights before bishops is a good rule of thumb.
Nc6Defends e5 while developing a knight to its most natural square. Black also gains control of d4.
3
Bc4The Italian bishop. It points straight at f7 — the weakest square in Black's camp because only the king defends it.
Bc5Black copies the idea, placing the bishop on an active diagonal aimed at f2.
After 3…Bc5
After 3…Bc5
No. White Black4
b4The Evans Gambit: offer a pawn to drag the bishop away and gain time for c3 and d4.
Bxb4Black accepts.
5
c3Kicks the bishop with tempo and prepares d4.
Ba5Keeps the bishop on the a5–e1 diagonal, where it pins the c3 pawn to the king.
6
d4Blasts open the center.
exd4Black takes.
After 6…exd4
After 6…exd4
No. White Black7
O-OEscapes the pin and brings the rook into play — development over material.
Nge7Develops while preparing ...d5 to block the dangerous c4 bishop.
8
cxd4Builds the ideal pawn center on d4 and e4.
d5Black gives back material to break the center and blunt the bishop.
9
exd5Takes.
Nxd5Recentralizes the knight.
After 9…Nxd5
After 9…Nxd5
No. White Black10
Ba3The bishop covers f8 — now Black can't castle kingside!
After 10.Ba3
After 10.Ba3
4.Play

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5.More

More 1.e4 openings