Evans' Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bd6!?
This bishop retreat, which begins the Stone-Ware Defence, is the type of move beginners are warned against playing, but there are 443 examples of it in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
6.d4 Nf6
If 6...exd4 then Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 like 7.0-0!?, claiming White is at least slightly better despite being two pawns down.
7.0-0 0-0
The greedy 7...Nxe4?! runs into 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Nxe5 Bxe5 10.Qd5 Qe7 11.Re1 Bxh2+ 12.Kf1!, after which 12...0-0 13.Rxe4 gives White a knight and a huge attack for three pawns.
8.Bg5!?
The engines prefer 8.Re1 or 8.Nbd2.
8...h6 9.Bh4 g5?!
This move often proves weakening, especially when, as here, the f7 pawn is pinned along the a2-g8 diagonal. The engines reckon best is 9...Be7!?, and if 10.dxe5?! then 10...Nxe4, after which Black is a pawn up and seems out of immediate danger. Instead of 10.dxe5?! the engines prefer 10.Nbd2 or 10.Re1, albeit giving Black at least a slight edge.
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| How should White respond? |
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10.Bg3
10.Bg3
This seems stronger than 10.Nxg5?! hxg5 11.Bxg5, when the engines reckon 11...Be7!? gives Black an advantage, although the position remains sharp.
10...Nxe4?!
All three games to reach the position after 10.Bg3 in Mega22 saw this continuation, but it is probably a mistake, although the engines disagree as to what Black should play. One line suggested runs 10...Re8 11.Qb3 Qe7 12.dxe5 b5!? 13.Bxf7+ Qxf7 14.exd6 cxd6, after which material is equal and Black's position looks a mess, but the engines reckon White has only a slight edge. The problem with the text is it opens the b1-h7 diagonal.
11.Bxe5?
White is winning, according to the engines, after 11.Qd3 or 11.Qc2.
11...Nxe5?!
Black has the advantage after 11...Bxe5, whereas the text allows White to recapture with tempo.
12.dxe5 Be7
I had originally intended 12...Bc5?, but it loses to 13.Qd5 Bxf2+ 14.Kh1 etc. However an improvement may be the engines' 12...g4!?, although the lines after 13.exd6, 13.Re1 and 13.Nbd2 are sharp and unclear.
13.Qc2
An improvement on the known move 13.Nbd2?
13...d5 14.exd6 Nxd6 15.Qg6+ Kh8 16.Qxh6+ Kg8
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| How would you assess the position? |
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White has regained the gambited pawn and exposed the black king, but Black has the bishop-pair and White's rooks and queen's knight cannot quickly add to the White attack. I thought I was lost, but the engines give White just a slight edge.
17.Bb3
And now the position is equal, according to the engines. They reckon 17.Bd3 Nf5 favours Black, and instead suggest 17.Na3!?, when 17...Nxc4!? 18.Nxc4 exchanges off a useful black defender and brings the white queen's knight into the action. The engines prefer meeting 17.Na3!? with 17...g4!?, albeit slightly favouring White.
17...Bf5
Stockfish15 reckons 17...Nf5 and 17...a5 give complete equality. Komodo13.02 comes to like 17...a5 and the text, albeit giving White a tiny pull.
18.Nd4 Bh7 19.f4?!
This seems to be a mistake, the engines preferring 19.Nd2 or 19.Na3.
19...c5!?
The engines prefer 19...Ne4 or 19...a5, but again the lines are unclear.
20.Nf3?
Black is winning after this. Best play, according to the engines, runs 20.Rf3! Nf5 21.Nxf5 Bxf5 22.Na3 Qb6 23.fxg5 Qxh6 24.gxh6 with what they reckon is at least a slight edge for White. Also better than the text is 20.Bc2 Bxc2 21.Nxc2, although they prefer Black after 21...Ne4.
20...c4 21.fxg5!?
Perhaps White should play the dispiriting 21.Bd1, but White's attack is gone and the white pieces are uncoordinated, eg 21...Nf5 22.Qh3 Qd3 23.Nbd2 (23.Nxg5?? allows a simple mate starting with 23...Bc5+) Ne3 24.Re1 Qxc3 25.Ba4 gxf4.
21...Nxf5 22.Qxh7+!?
This is White's best try, according to the engines, which only shows how bad the white position is.
22...Kxh7 23.Bc2 Bxg5 24.Nxg5+ Qxg5 25.Na3 Kg7 26.Bxf5 Qe3+ 27.Kh1 Qxc3 28.Nc2 Rad8 29.a4
Not 29.Rf3+ Qxa1+! etc.
29...Rfh8 30.Ra3 Qe5 31.h3 c3 32.Rb3 Qe2 33.Rf3 Rd1+ 34.Kh2 Qe5+ 35.Rg3+ Kf6 36.Rbxc3 Rg8 37.Bg4 Rxg4!?
Giving up the exchange to reduce the danger of accidents and to expose the white king.
38.hxg4 Kg6
Materially, Black is 'only' up queen for rook and knight, but the open board and weak white pawns mean Black retains a large advantage.
39.Rce3 Qc5 40.Na3 Qc1 41.Rgf3 Rh1+ 42.Kg3 Qc7+ 43.Kf2
After 43.Rf4? Rf1 44.Ref3 Rxf3+ White loses a piece to 45.gxf3 Kg5 or 45.Kxf3 Qb3+ etc.
43...Ra1 44.Rc3 Ra2+ 45.Kg1 Qd7 46.Nc4 Qd1+ 47.Kh2 Qe2 48.Kg3!?
48.Rg3 is not much of an improvement.
48...Qxg2+ 49.Kf4 Rxa4 50.Ke3 Qg1+ 51.Kd3 Qd1+ 52.Ke3 Qd5 53.Rf5 Qxc4!? 0-1
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