C52

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Levenfish Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Levenfish Variation after 11. Nxe5

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Statistics from Lichess

24 games: White 37.5% / Draw 4.2% / Black 58.3%

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Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
2424

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Sep 26, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.04 The position is about equal

Best play: 11... Nxb3 12. axb3 Nh6 13. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. Nd2 O-O-O 15. Be7 Rde8 16. Bb4

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

Overview

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Levenfish Variation (ECO C52, Open Games) is a gambit in the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Tartakower Attack, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. O-O Bb6 10. Ba3 Na5 11. Nxe5 (11 moves).

In 24 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 37.5%, Black 58.3% and 4.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 11…Nxb3, in 100% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Levenfish Variation (C52)”. Lichess data as of 26 Sep 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-evans-gambit-levenfish-variation