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Hi Everyone,We are starting the group. I hope everyone enjoys it!Before we begin, tell us a little about your playing style and why you joined the Evans Gambit group.I am an attacker and a tactician, although I am trying to master positional play. I love wild attacking games and gambits, and so that is why I made this group! I like 1.e4 openings, although I like the English. As White I like open games, and as Black, Semi-Open Games.Tell us a little about yourself before we get started, and I hope you have a good time!Thanks,Eric

Time to abandon ship here my friends. This group is just dead weight. If you're looking for a group that's big enuf to be active, but small enuf to be personal, then come join The Dark Knights!!! We'd love to have you!!! http://www.chess.com/groups/home/the-dark-knights

The well known tabiya for the Evans Gambit can be appreciated after the move 4.b4. However, there is another position, later on in the game, that is so common that it has been labelled the normal position for the Evans Gambit. It is an interesting one because it can be reached in several ways. One of the routes to this normal position is shown below. I thought it would be interesting to see if we can together come up with a list of the most appropriate variants to arrive at this position.

Happy First Day of Summer Everybody!!! Since the whole planet is in a frenzy with World Cup Fever, I figured this was a good time to introduce the World Cup of Chess Openings!! To register your group, please go to this thread: http://www.chess.com/groups/forumview/wcoco---2010-registration World Cup of Chess Openings - Official Rules (Taken from the FIFA World Cup format) The current tournament features 32 teams, representing different openings, competing in Vote Chess games at 2-days per turn. There are two stages: the group stage followed by the knockout stage. In the group stage, teams compete within eight groups of four teams each. Each group plays a round-robin tournament, guaranteeing that every team will play at least three matches. A match will consist of 2 games, one from each team's prefered starting position. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. Points are used to rank the teams within a group. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. If two or more teams end up with the same number of points, tiebreakers are used: first is goal difference, then total goals scored (this will be the in-game score found on the details tab), then head-to-head results, and finally drawing of lots (i.e., determining team positions at random). The knockout stage is a single-elimination tournament in which teams play each other in one-off matches, with extra games used to decide the winner if necessary. It begins with the "round of 16" (or the second round) in which the winner of each group plays against the runner-up of another group. This is followed by the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, the third-place match (contested by the losing semi-finalists), and the final. World Cup of Chess Openings - Proposed Schedule Aug 2010 - Match 1 begins (played Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov) Nov 2010 - Match 2 begins (played Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb) Feb 2011 - Match 3 begins (played Feb, Mar, Apr, May) Jun 2011 - Round of 16 begins (played Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) Oct 2011 - Quarter-Finals begin (played Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan) Feb 2012 - Semi-Finals begin (played Feb, Mar, Apr, May) Jun 2012 - Finals begin (played Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep)

After:4. b4   Bxb45. c3Black has the following, ranked in approximate order from best to worst.5... Ba5:This is the "Normal Variation". It had been considered best for many years, but is now slightly out of fashion. b6, not a5, is the square the Bishop is headed for, so that he can play ... Nc6-a5, which would attack the c4 Bishop and a Queen on b3.5... Bc5:This variation was popular in the 19th century, but seems bad at first glance, as White can play 6. d4, with a large pawn center attacking Black's minor pieces. However, this variation might be the best way to handle the Evans, as it is not a loss of tempo to play ... Bb6, and the Bishop at c5 does not take a5 away from the Knight. If you play the Evans, you will probobly see this variation the most often.5...Be7This is considered a relatively safe way of handling the Evans. It has gained quite a bit of attention since Kasparov-Anand, Riga 1995. The Bishop at e7 does not take away the a5 square, is fairly active at e7, and can't be attacked by White's center. However, the Black Queen can not protect f7 with ... Qe7 or ... Qf6.5... Bd6!?This is the strange looking Stone-Ware Variation. Black's idea is to strongpoint at e5. However, White can often trade on this square, and since Black will recapture with a piece, White can play f2-f4 in some lines. Also, the Bishop is blocking the 'D' pawn, so Black's development will be very slow, which is not a good idea in the Evans!5... Bf8?!This, the Mayet Defense, was a favorite of Steinitz. It also aims to strongpoint at e5 with ...Qe7, ... d6, ... g6 and ... Bg7. It is considered dubious and not very promising.5... b5?With this, Black is saying "I don't know why you gambitted you 'B' pawn, but I will do the same". This is simply not good, as Black can't play c6 and d5.5... f5?In this variation, Black sacrafices a piece to try and take over the center. This was analysed as VERY poor long ago.

After 4. b4, the Evans Gambit, Black has the following:4... Bxb4This is by FAR the most common response you will see in your games with it. We will concentrate mostly on this.4... Bb6The Evans Gambit declined. This is also a solid variation. The best for White may be 5. a4.4... d5The Countergambit Variation. This is extremley rare, and all of the lines are pleasant for White.

Keep it up, learning a few things, will check back soon Phillip

Hi Everyone, I apologize for ignoring you for so long, and I promise I will never do it again!!

Ok, lets get serious: After 4.b4   Bxb4White normally plays 5.c3, once again attacking the bishop and preparing d4. The black bishop must retreat, and where it goes decides what path the game takes.Ba5:This is known as the "Normal Variation" because it was the most popular of the 1800's, and was thought to be best. Pros:It gets out of the way of the pawns, and takes up an active position at a5 or b6. It aims at the enemy king, giving chances of counterattack.Cons:It gets in the way of a Na5 defensive move. With a bishop at c4 and Queen at b3, ...Na5 is often helpful. And it is like a wasted tempo playing ...Bb6, which is a crime punishable by death in open, tactical positions that are normal.Also, Ba5 or Bb6 do not really help defend the Kingside assault by White that follows, and even impedes Na5.Bc5:For a long time thought to be the most laughable of all of the retreats, because white can play d4 and bust open the center and attack. But, in my new book by GM Michael Rohde, he says this may be the best retreat. I have not looked at the variations at all.Bd6:The Stone-Ware variation, trys to capitalize on an e5 strongpoint. It does however, block the d pawn.Be7:Is preferred by modern players, but is not any better that Ba5 or Bc5.Bf8:The Mayet defense also trys to capitalize on e5, with Qe7, d6, g6 and Bg7.We will look into all of these in depth soon.

Hi Everyone,Finally, I have recieved my Evans Gambit book in the mail, and our group will start. 

Hi Everyone,I just wanted to make a few comments before we start.1.This is one of my first groups, and please be patient with me if I am a little lacking at times, I am getting the hang of it quickly!2.Because of number 1, please be active posters! Don't be afraid to post a topic, post in the forums, ask a question, or write a note!3.Try not to steer to off topic from the Evans Gambit. Do other talking elsewhere.4.I recently ordered a book "The Great Evans Gambit Debate" by GM Michael Rhode. Once I get it, there will be a lot more information on the group. Ok! Let's get started! But, if you have any questions, post them here.