https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1943389
Gambit evans in 2023 [High level analysis]
Sort:
I know about this game.
Very nice.
But stockfish didn't enter the critical lines after Qc2. He could have played Nxc4 or Ne7 both of them lead to complex positions I don't know how to assess.
This one after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Qc2 Nxc4 11. Nxc4 Qc6 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nxe5 Qa4
And this one after : 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Qc2 Ne7 11. dxe5 Ng6 12. exd6 Qxd6
I'm tired of playing boring chess in response to e5 and I'm completely ok with 0.00 advantage according to the computer since this doesn't take into account dynamic possibility, preparation, experience etc...
I remember that 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5!? is very weird, dynamic and lively all around and when I analyzed it I couldn't find any way for black to avoid complications (white even has multiple equally complex attempts).
In the same veins most line of the evans gambit are tricky and very complex. Even the declined version look like a good italian with a comfortable advantage.
But as most serious player of the evans gambit would know the real problem comes with the bronstein defense:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6
It's completely ok and you have a draw no matter your attempt. Black can't play for a win (this isn't the king's gambit lol).
But I would really like to play it OTB against good opposition!
So I don't want to have any forced draw even if they're quite complex to find.
Anyway here's my finding so far. With stockfish 16 as backpup. If you've worked on it feel free to step in.
I first worked on this line:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. O-O Bb6 9. Bb5
After a few move: 9. ...a6 10. Ba4 Ba7 11. Qb2 b5 12. Bc2 Rb8
you end up here:
Something about this position felt nice but I couldn't make it work. Forced draw everywhere and if you avoid all of them you end up in position like this at -0.5 according to the engine:
Feels like a tabiya but I don't know how to assess it.
You can also choose to end up here:
The other options is to accept the exchange of the bishop with Na5 (instead of going Bb5 and playing a spanish with a pawn less):
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nbd2 Na5
This variation has less tension and the question is less "is it playable despite what the computer say?" and more "Is there any play left?".
The two place you will end up if you play the theory dynamically are:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Qc2 Nxc4 11. Nxc4 Qc6 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nxe5 Qa4
Opposite color bishop in a middlegame --> help the attacker. If you manage to play Bb2, c4 and put your rook on g3 this becomes very interesting: this is this guy recomandation: https://youtu.be/ZGs29B-6Fg4?si=6OSRAS_pN0iMcJzN&t=1370
for example:
or
but this grandmaster disagree lol : https://youtu.be/Ynb0_o-eC6o?si=EvKhTmtKrdJYmiex&t=1144
Problem the line this grandmaster propose instead isn't worth mentioning it's refuted by ...f5!! by black and black take the initiative.
The first guy do not discuss this other line:
where black doesn't take on c4 and you have nothing better to do than take on e5 and d6. It's not clear that the position is advantegeous here. Or that there is any play left.