Evans Gambit Answering Moves and How to Respond

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The Evans Gambit starts with the moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 (see them below). By statistics, based on a 3800-game database on the Evans Gambit chess opening, Black answers: 4... Bxb4 (80%), 4... Bb6 (15%), 4... Nxb4 (2%), 4... d5 (1%); other moves - 2% (4... Be7, Bd6, b5).


Figure 1. See the Black answering statistics to the Evans Gambit:
Bxb4 (80%), Bb6 (15%), Nxb4 (2%), d5 (1%); others - 2% (Be7, Bd6, b5).
How to respond to the answering moves? What are best lines to play at the beginning of the Evans Gambit? Let's see the answers below...

Evans Gambit: Answers and How to Respond

Figure 2. The Black answer 4... Bxb4 is the most common -- 80%.
Best line: 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 Nge7 (equal, +0.05)
Note: If 7... dxc3 (instead of 7... Nge7), then play 8.Qb3 (equal, +0.34).
Note: 4... Bxb4 is the strongest Black answer to the Evans Gambit.


Figure 3. The Black answer 4... Bb6 is the 2nd common -- 15%.
Best line: 5.0-0 d6 a4 a6 7.c3 Nf6 (equal, +0.40)


Figure 4. The Evans Gambit answer 4... Nxb4 is played rarely -- 2%.
Best line: 5.c3 Nc6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 (equal, +0.15)


Figure 5. The Evans Gambit answer 4... d5 is played rarely -- 1%.
Best line: 5.exd5 Nxb4 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Nxe5 Nbxd5 (white slightly better, +0.78)

Conclusion: Evans Gambit Answers

You have studied the answering statistics and best respond lines at the beginning on the Evans Gambit. The statistics were taken from a 3800-game database on this chess opening and the best playing lines were calculated by a chess engine.

The best lines are similar or very close to the proven lines, and this will help you learn how to play the Evans Gambit correctly. Remember that the move 4... Bxb4 is the strongest Black answer to the Evans Gambit.

Latvian Gambit Answering Statistics and Best Proven Lines

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The Latvian Gambit begins with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5. After that, it is the White player who is to continue a Latvian Gambit game from the 3rd move... Do you know the answering statistics to the Latvian Gambit and best playing lines for White and Black?.. By stats, the move-answer is: 3.Nxe5, 3.exf5, 3.d4, 3.d3, 3.Nc3, or 3.Bc4.

Below is the answering statistics to the Latvian Gambit and best proven lines for White and Black. The lines have been proved by chess master games, by history and time , and evaluated by chess engine. This chess opening information must be useful for you to study how to correctly play the Latvian Gambit chess opening.

I. Latvian Gambit Answering Statistics

Latvian Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5


The answering statistics:
• 3.Nxe5 (50%) - best answer for White;
• 3.exf5, 3.d4, 3.d3, 3.Nc3, 3.Bc4 (10% for each).

The above answering statistics were taken from a 1400-game database on the Latvian Gambit chess opening. Best playing lines (actually, they are ones of the best) were calculated by a chess engine -- see them below to study or learn. Some of them are proven lines that have been proved since the year 1985.

II. Latvian Gambit Best Proven Lines

• 3.Nxe5 (50%, best answer for White in the Latvian Gambit)
3... Qf6 4.d4 d6 5.Nc4 fxe4 6.Nc3 Qg6 7.f3 Nf6
...white better +1.01, depth 25 -- this is the main line of the year 2019
3... Nf6 4.Bc4 Qe7 5.d4 Nc6 6.0-0 fxe4 7.Bf4 d5
...note: 5.Nf7? Qxe4+ 6.Qe2 Qxe2+ 7.Kxe2 d5 (-0.99)
...white better +1.10, depth 25



• 3.exf5 (10%)
3... Nf6 4.d4 e4 5.Nh4 d5 6.g4 Ng8 7.Ng2 h5 8.Nf4 Nc6
...white slightly better +0.59, depth 25
3... Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 dxc6
...white slightly better +0.85, depth 25



• 3.d4 (10%)
3... fxe4 4.Nfd2 Qe7 5.Qh5+ g6 6.Qxe5 Qxe5 7.dxe5 e3! 8.Nf3 exf2+ 9.Kxf2 Nc6
...position equal +0.34, depth 25
3... fxe4 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Be2 Be7 6.c4 0-0 7.Nc3 d6
...position equal +0.47, depth 25



• 3.d3 (10%)
3... Nc6 4.d4 fxe4 5.Nxe5 Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.c4 Bd6
...position equal -0.01, depth 25
3... d6 4.Nc3 c5 5.g3 Be7 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.O-O Nf6
...position equal +0.03, depth 25



• 3.Nc3 (10%)
3... fxe4 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Ng4 c6 6.Nxf6+ Qxf6 7.Qh5+ Qf7
...white slightly better +0.60, depth 25
3... Nf6 4.exf5 Nc6 5.d4 e4 6.Ne5 Bb4 7.g4 Nd5 8.g5 g6
...white better +1.01, depth 25



• 3.Bc4 (10%)
3... fxe4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Nf6 7.Nxh8 d5
...note: very sharp line, but it is a Latvian proven line since 1985
...position equal +0.00, depth 25
3... Nc6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 a6
...white slightly better +0.55, depth 25



Having seen the above answering statistics and proven lines will help you learn how to correctly play the Latvian Gambit chess opening, which is sometimes considered as dubious chess opening, and which is very aggressive for Black. However, the Latvian Gambit is a very nice opening for chess beginners to study and try...