What is the idea behind the Evans Gambit?

One pawn to deflect a bishop and build the biggest centre in chess. In practice that means: Offer the b-pawn purely to deflect the c5-bishop off the a7–g1 diagonal; Gain a tempo with c3 and then build the perfect centre with d4; Open lines fast — the compensation is development, not material.

Is the Evans Gambit good for beginners?

It is rated Intermediate here: the plans are quick to pick up, but a few moves have to be played accurately to get the position you want.

What are the plans after the Evans Gambit?

White: Build with c3 and d4 and get the rooks to the open files — speed is the compensation. Black: Give the pawn back at the right moment to blunt the initiative and finish development.

All chess openings

Evans Gambit

C52 · Played as white · Intermediate · Romantic Gambits

One pawn to deflect a bishop and build the biggest centre in chess

Also known as Evans, Italian Evans Gambit, b4 gambit.

The main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O Nge7 8.cxd4 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5

Strategic ideas

Offer the b-pawn purely to deflect the c5-bishop off the a7–g1 diagonal
Gain a tempo with c3 and then build the perfect centre with d4
Open lines fast — the compensation is development, not material
Castle and use the e- and d-files against Black's uncastled king
Play the opening Kasparov revived to beat Anand in twenty-five moves

Key themes

Attack — The pawn buys open lines, and every white piece arrives pointing at the black king
Dynamic — The material is gone and the position has to be kept boiling or the pawn is simply lost
Space — c3 and d4 give White a centre that Black's pieces struggle to find squares around

Typical plans

A ship's captain named William Davies Evans worked this out in the 1820s and it's been terrorising the Italian Game ever since. The b4-pawn is a deflection: Black's bishop takes it, and now c3 hits the bishop with tempo while preparing d4. Two moves later White has the classical dream centre and a lead in development, for the price of one pawn. Kasparov dusted it off in 1995 and beat Anand with it in a game that lasted twenty-five moves — proof that romantic chess still has teeth.

Move by move

e4 — White claims the centre.
e5 — Black meets it symmetrically.
Nf3 — White develops, attacking e5.
Nc6 — Black defends the pawn.
Bc4 — White develops toward f7, the classic Italian target.
Bc5 — Black mirrors, eyeing f2 in return. A normal Italian — for one more move.
b4 — White plays the Evans. The pawn is completely free and its only job is to drag the bishop off the a7–g1 diagonal.
Bxb4 — Black accepts. Declining with …Bb6 is a solid choice, but taking is the real test.
c3 — White hits the bishop with tempo while preparing d4. This is why the pawn was offered.
Ba5 — Black retreats to a5, keeping an eye on the queenside and staying active.
d4 — White builds the ideal centre. Two pawns abreast on d4 and e4, a bishop on c4, a knight on f3 — this is the classical dream, bought for one pawn.
exd4 — Black takes, refusing to let White consolidate for free.
O-O — White castles rather than recapturing, prioritising the king and the rook's route to e1.
Nge7 — Black develops the knight to e7 rather than f6, staying out of the e-file pin and heading for g6.
cxd4 — White recaptures, restoring the full centre.
d5 — Black hits back in the centre, the standard way to defuse a lead in development.
exd5 — White takes, keeping lines open.
Nxd5 — Black recaptures with the knight, reaching a sharp position where White has full compensation for the pawn and both sides have real chances.

Where the line leads

White's plans

Build with c3 and d4 and get the rooks to the open files — speed is the compensation
Aim at f7 with the bishop and look for Ba3 or Qb3 ideas against the uncastled king
Don't fixate on regaining the pawn; if the initiative stops, so does White's game

Black's plans

Give the pawn back at the right moment to blunt the initiative and finish development
Retreat the bishop to a5 or e7 and get castled before White's centre rolls forward
Hit back with …d5 to open lines for your own pieces and challenge the big centre

Evans Gambit FAQ

What are the moves of the Evans Gambit?: The Evans Gambit (C52) runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O Nge7 8.cxd4 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5. It is played from White's side of the board.
What is the idea behind the Evans Gambit?: One pawn to deflect a bishop and build the biggest centre in chess. In practice that means: Offer the b-pawn purely to deflect the c5-bishop off the a7–g1 diagonal; Gain a tempo with c3 and then build the perfect centre with d4; Open lines fast — the compensation is development, not material.
Is the Evans Gambit good for beginners?: It is rated Intermediate here: the plans are quick to pick up, but a few moves have to be played accurately to get the position you want.
What are the plans after the Evans Gambit?: White: Build with c3 and d4 and get the rooks to the open files — speed is the compensation. Black: Give the pawn back at the right moment to blunt the initiative and finish development.