Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Leonhardt Countergambit
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Statistics from Lichess
7,187 games: White 41.5% / Draw 5.9% / Black 52.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 5,2155,215 | ||
| 956956 | ||
| 484484 | ||
| 225225 | ||
| 215215 | ||
| 3232 | ||
| 2525 | ||
| 1414 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.25 The position is about equal
Best play: 7. Bxb5 Nxd4 8. Nxd4 exd4 9. O-O Ne7 10. Qxd4 O-O 11. c4 Nc6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Leonhardt Countergambit (ECO C52, Open Games) is a gambit in the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Main Line, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 b5 (6 moves).
In 7,187 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 41.5%, Black 52.6% and 5.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Bxb5, in 73% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Leonhardt Countergambit
7. Bb3 scores best for White: 48.1%, with White winning 46.7% and Black 50.4% of 484 games. The most played answer, 7. Bxb5, scores lowest: 44.9% in 5,215 games. Stockfish's first choice is 7. Bxb5.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Leonhardt Countergambit (C52)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-evans-gambit-leonhardt-countergambit