C51

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation

Chess diagram: Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation after 11. Be3

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Statistics from Lichess

2 games: White 100.0% / Draw 0.0% / Black 0.0%

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Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.45 Black is slightly better

Best play: 11... Nxc4 12. Qa4+ c6 13. Qxc4 Ne7 14. Rfe1 Ba5 15. Rac1 Bg4 16. Bf4

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

Overview

Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation (ECO C51, Open Games) is a gambit in the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Göring Attack, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d6 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Na5 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3 (11 moves).

In 2 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 100.0%, Black 0.0% and 0.0% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 11…Ne7, in 50% 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, Steinitz Variation (C51)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/italian-game-evans-gambit-steinitz-variation