The Evans Gambit is 4. in the Italian Game, after 1. 2. 3. . You give up a pawn to hit the c5 bishop with tempo and build a center with 5. and 6.. In Lichess public games (September 2026, N = 17,338 games) you score 56.6% with it; among online players rated over 2200, White drops to 47.9%.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
38 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
At your level, 64 of every 100 opponents accept with , 1 in 5 decline with , and 8 in 100 take with the knight, . Among strong players, 86 of every 100 accept with the bishop. After you almost always play 5., and this is where the two groups part ways. In your games, 60 of every 100 opponents drop back with ; only 4 in 100 strong players do, preferring (62 in 100) or (27 in 100). Against , strong players go on with 6. in 91 of every 100 games, the public in 55.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64.4% | 56.0% | 85.7% | 100.0% | |
| 20.1% | 47.6% | 13.3% | no data | |
| 7.8% | 56.7% | 1.0% | no data | |
| 2.7% | 55.0% | no data | no data | |
| 1.4% | 71.1% | no data | no data | |
| 1.0% | 69.5% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.5% | 56.2% | 99.2% | 100.0% | |
| 0.5% | 52.7% | 0.8% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59.9% | 59.0% | 4.1% | no data | |
| 24.2% | 52.4% | 62.1% | 100.0% | |
| 12.0% | 50.7% | 26.9% | no data | |
| 3.6% | 52.0% | 6.9% | no data | |
| 0.4% | 53.0% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54.6% | 54.5% | 91.0% | 100.0% | |
| 23.4% | 46.2% | 5.8% | no data | |
| 19.3% | 54.7% | 3.2% | no data | |
| 2.6% | 50.6% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86.9% | 55.0% | 47.9% | no data | |
| 11.8% | 48.2% | 43.7% | 100.0% | |
| 1.3% | 72.7% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 3.4% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.1% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.9% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.1% | no data |
The gambit trades a pawn for time and the center. With 4. the pawn attacks the c5 bishop, even though none of your pieces defends it. If Black takes with , the bishop lands on a square where you can hit it again, and that is what 5. does: the pawn attacks the b4 bishop and covers d4, the square you need for your next push.
Against , the retreat strong players choose, you play 6.. The pawn attacks e5, backed by the queen, the c3 pawn and the f3 knight. Watch one detail: since your d2 pawn has moved, the a5 bishop pins the c3 pawn to your king on e1. So after , 7. is not a legal move. You play 7. instead: the king steps off the diagonal, the c3 pawn is free again and the rook joins the game. At this point you are two pawns down. Black can grab a third with , the Compromised Defense; in its 372 public games you score 59 points in 100.
The strong players' line goes on with (31 in 100), which attacks your e4 pawn, and nothing guards it. You push it with 8., hitting the knight and making it move again. That is the logic of the move order: almost every move you make attacks something. The bishop with 4. and 5., the e5 pawn with 6., the knight with 8.. While Black answers those threats, you castle and gain space in the center, and that lead in development is what pays for the material.
At your level you will usually face something else: . With the bishop on c5 there is no pin, so after 6. you can recapture with 7.. Your d4 pawn then attacks the c5 bishop, and your pawns on d4 and e4 hold the center. If Black checks with , you choose how to block it. In this line, the 8. push that works with the bishop on a5 is a different story, as the mistakes below show.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 1,168 | 85.8% | |
| 1,001 | 99.2% | |
| 980 | 62.4% | |
| 611 | 91.2% | |
| 541 | 47.5% | |
| 250 | 74.8% | |
| 182 | 31.3% | |
| 52 | 75.0% |
A blunder. After 6. 7. , the 8. push from the a5 bishop line fails here: hits your c4 bishop and supports e4. After 9. 10. , Black's knight sits on e4 and you are still a pawn down. At your level it rarely gets punished: you score 63 points in 100.
20 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 4.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 62.7%; scores 61.0%.
An inaccuracy. After 7. , 8. offers a trade: 9. 10. 11., and Black develops with an extra pawn. With 8. you block the check and guard e4; if Black takes on d2, the bishop goes for a knight. 65 in 100 players choose 8., and it barely shows: 53 points in 100 against 55.
65 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 53.3%; scores 55.4%.
An inaccuracy. After , 6. hits b7 and lines up behind your c4 bishop toward f7. Black covers f7 with , and after 7. 8. 9. you have struck in the center one move later. 19 in 100 players choose it, and at your level the result doesn't change: 55 points in 100 either way.
19 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 54.7%; scores 54.5%.
A mistake. After 5. , your e4 pawn is attacked and undefended. 6. kicks the c6 knight, but hits your c4 bishop, and after 7. 8. 9. Black's knight and rook both attack e4. 16 in 100 players choose it; you score 46 points in 100, against 52 with 6., which protects e4.
16 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 45.6%; scores 52.3%.
A mistake. In the same position, 6. prepares a push to a5 against the b6 bishop, but leaves e4 hanging: . After 7. 8. 9. you win the pawn back, but Black's knight stays on e4, backed by the d5 pawn, and attacks your b4 pawn. You score 47 points in 100, against 52 with 6..
16 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 46.6%; scores 52.3%.
A mistake. After , 6. eyes f7 and b7, but guards f7 and the c5 bishop keeps aiming at f2. With 7. 8. 9. you give up on 6., and without that break the pawn you gave buys you nothing. Only 3 in 100 players choose it; you score 53 points in 100, against 59 with 6..
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.4 pawns of advantage. It scores 53.1%; scores 59.3%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Not castled | 7,527 | |
| 6,894 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 1,340 |
| 844 | ||
| Not castled | 546 | |
| Not castled | 100 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | ||
| Not castled | 1 |
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · 8,087 amateur games
The bishop drops back to c5 with : 8,087 public games, and you score 60 points in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C51
1,572 amateur games · White's score: 51.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C51
1,527 amateur games · White's score: 53.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C52
853 amateur games · White's score: 54.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C52
799 amateur games · White's score: 54.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C51
442 amateur games · White's score: 52.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C52
398 amateur games · White's score: 43.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
372 amateur games · White's score: 59.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
312 amateur games · White's score: 47.6%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
151 amateur games · White's score: 60.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C52
105 amateur games · White's score: 49.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
73 amateur games · White's score: 49.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
67 amateur games · White's score: 48.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C52
64 amateur games · White's score: 55.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C51
63 amateur games · White's score: 38.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
54 amateur games · White's score: 36.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C51
51 amateur games · White's score: 53.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · C51
43 amateur games · White's score: 53.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C51
37 amateur games · White's score: 75.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C52
24 amateur games · White's score: 70.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C51
13 amateur games · White's score: 26.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
9 amateur games · White's score: 61.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · C52
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C52
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
2 amateur games · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · C51
1 amateur game · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · C52
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · C51
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. · C51
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · C51
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C52
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · C52
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. · C51
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · C51
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C52
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · C51
You play 4. after and offer the b-pawn. If Black takes with , 5. attacks the bishop again and prepares 6., which hits e5 and opens the center. Each of those moves comes with a threat, so you castle and develop while Black keeps answering. In Lichess public games you score 57 points in 100 with it.
The usual way to decline is , chosen by 1 in 5 public opponents and 13 in 100 strong players. Against it you score 48 points in 100. After 5. your e4 pawn is attacked and undefended, so play 6.. Both 6. and 6. leave e4 to fend for itself, and each is chosen by 16 in 100 players.
It is the move 4. in the Italian Game, after 1. 2. 3. . You give up the b-pawn to drive the c5 bishop away with tempo and set up 5. and 6.. It shows up in 17,338 Lichess public games. Among online players rated over 2200, White scores 48 points in 100.