44. Evans: 5...Bc5 Retreat (6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6)
With 5...Bc5 Black returns to the a7-g1 diagonal. White castles, recaptures on d4 with the pawn and develops with Nc3; against 9...Bg4 it pins the c6-knight in turn with 10.Bb5.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Bb5
Move by move
- 1.e4 – Occupies the centre and frees the queen and the f1-bishop, which in the Italian Game goes to c4 to aim at the weak f7 point.
- 1...e5 – Black contests the centre at once: the e5 pawn controls d4 and f4 and opens the diagonal for the f8-bishop and the queen.
- 2.Nf3 – Development with an attack: the knight hits the e5 pawn, controls d4 and prepares quick kingside castling.
- 2...Nc6 – Defends e5 while developing and adds control of d4, the square White wants for a pawn.
- 3.Bc4 – The Italian Game move: the bishop aims at f7, defended only by the king, and controls d5, making ...d5 harder to achieve.
- 3...Bc5 – The Giuoco Piano: Black replies symmetrically, aiming at f2 and controlling d4 to hinder the d2-d4 advance.
- 4.b4 – The Evans Gambit: White offers the b-pawn to deflect the c5-bishop. After ...Bxb4 it will play c3 with tempo and then d4, building the centre with a lead in development.
- 4...Bxb4 – Black accepts the pawn: the bishop leaves the a7-g1 diagonal and will be attacked at once by c3.
- 5.c3 – The pawn attacks the b4-bishop with tempo and prepares d4: this is the point of the gambit, development and centre in exchange for the pawn.
- 5...Bc5 – The bishop returns to c5: a structure similar to the Giuoco Piano arises, but White has gained tempi with b4 and c3 at the cost of a pawn.
- 6.d4 – The pawn attacks e5 and the c5-bishop at the same time.
- 6...exd4 – Black captures: it keeps the extra pawn and leaves White the choice of how to recapture.
- 7.O-O – White castles before recapturing on d4, so that after cxd4 it does not suffer the check ...Bb4+ with the king on e1.
- 7...d6 – Black defends the c5-bishop with the pawn and opens the c8-bishop's diagonal; it keeps the d4-pawn for now.
- 8.cxd4 – White recaptures and forms the e4-d4 centre, attacking the c5-bishop again.
- 8...Bb6 – The bishop retreats to b6, the typical square of this variation: from here it presses on d4 and f2.
- 9.Nc3 – The knight develops and supports e4 and d5: White is a pawn down but has a strong centre and active pieces.
- 9...Bg4 – The bishop pins the f3-knight to the d1-queen and increases the pressure on d4, already attacked by the b6-bishop and the c6-knight.
- 10.Bb5 – White replies by pinning the c6-knight to the king: the knight no longer really presses on d4, and the d5 push becomes a threat.
How to exploit the position
Black has an extra pawn; White has the e4-d4 centre and more space. Both knights (f3 and c6) are pinned: whoever breaks the pin better gets the initiative.
- d5 attacks the pinned c6-knight: Black must break the pin in time, with ...Kf8 or ...Bd7.
- Qa4 adds an attacker to the c6-knight and prepares d5.
- e5 opens lines against the king on e8 and the c1-bishop's diagonal.
- Black wants ...Bxf3 to ruin the structure: after gxf3 White has the g-file and the bishop pair, but a less protected king.
Master tips
Pin against pin
Against ...Bg4, Bb5 pins the c6-knight in turn: Black's pressure on d4 decreases and the d5 push becomes a threat.