Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Slow Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C52), reached after 11 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Slow Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C52. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 11 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O.

It belongs to the Italian Game family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Evans Gambit → Slow Variation line). The immediate parent line is Italian Game: Evans Gambit, transitioned via 6.O-O.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.Bc4 Bc5, 4.b4 Bxb4, 5.c3 Ba5, 6.O-O. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.