Caissa Codex
C52

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense after 7…dxc3

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

132,767 games: White 58.7% / Draw 2.7% / Black 38.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
108,021108K
7,3427,342
5,1265,126
3,5943,594
2,4202,420
2,2662,266
1,7771,777
1,5811,581

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.27 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. Qb3 Qf6 9. Bg5 Qg6 10. Nxc3 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Nf6 12. e5 Ne4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense (ECO C52, Open Games) is a gambit in the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Pierce Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3 (7 moves).

In 132,767 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 58.7%, Black 38.5% and 2.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Qb3, in 81% of those games.

It branches into 2 named variations; the most played are Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense, Main Line and Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense, Potter Variation.

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How to play against the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense

The most played answer, 8. Qb3, also scores best for White: 62.7%, with White winning 61.3% and Black 35.9% of 108K games. Of the main answers, 8. Qd5 scores lowest: 47.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8. Qb3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Variations (2)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7. O-O dxc3, the position after Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Pierce Defense also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense (C52)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-evans-gambit-compromised-defense

https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-evans-gambit-compromised-defense