Openings for Tactical Players: Evans Gambit
The Evans gambit is a true chess link between the romantic past and the computerized present. This sharp opening was played by the biggest stars chess ever produced: Morphy, Fischer, and Kasparov. This fact alone should tell you that the Evans Gambit is a perfectly sound opening. We cannot possibly analyze all the lines of this exciting opening in just one article nor show all the famous games played with the Evans Gambit. The goal is simpler: just to share and enjoy the spirit of this opening. Then, if you my dear readers like it, you should do some further investigation and play it!
We start with one of the most famous chess games ever played, the so called "Evergreen Game".
The next famous game shows a danger of the Black strategy that can be described by the motto "take whatever can be taken!".
In the next amusing game (played by the first World Champion Steinitz), Black's King was involved in a long trip. As you can guess, the result of the journey wasn't too happy for Black.
5...Be7 is considered Black's safest option according to today's opening theory.
Yet, even here one mistake can lead to a disaster as Fischer aptly demonstrates in the next game.
The Evans gambit is a dream opening for sharp, tactical players. Even if you are a positional player who hates sacrifices, you should play this opening in your next informal, friendly game just for the sake of being a part of chess history and to have something in common with above mentioned chess giants who played the Evans gambit. Also, who knows? Maybe your game could be the next "Immortal" or "Evergreen" game!
Good luck!
