Chess opening · ECO C51
Italian Game: Evans Gambit
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4. It ranks #137 of the 174 openings on this site by how often rated players on Lichess reach it.
Move by move
- 1. e4White pushes the e-pawn two squares to e4, staking a claim in the center.
- 1... e5Black pushes the e-pawn two squares to e5, staking a claim in the center.
- 2. Nf3White develops the kingside knight to f3.
- 2... Nc6Black develops the queenside knight to c6.
- 3. Bc4White develops the light-squared bishop to c4.
- 3... Bc5Black develops the dark-squared bishop to c5.
- 4. b4White pushes the b-pawn two squares to b4. It now attacks the bishop on c5.
What players choose next, by rating
The three most common Black moves from this position in rated Lichess games, grouped by the rating of the player making the move. Bxb4 is the most popular next move in every rating band.
| Rating | Most common | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Bxb4 100% | – | – |
| 1200–1399 | Bxb4 62% | Bb6 26% | Nxb4 7% |
| 1400–1599 | Bxb4 70% | Bb6 23% | Nxb4 5% |
| 1600–1799 | Bxb4 74% | Bb6 22% | Nxb4 4% |
| 1800–1999 | Bxb4 93% | Bb6 7% | – |
| 2000 and up | Bxb4 100% | – | – |
Related openings
Practice it against a human-like opponent.
BeaconChess opponents open from these same books, then play human-like moves for their level while the coach explains your moves in plain English. The first coached game is free.
Play a free coached game →Played this opening recently?
Paste the game into the free analyzer to find the moves that cost you, with each mistake explained. Three analyses are free, with no email or card.
Analyze a game free →