Evans Gambit

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black replies e5.
3. Nf3Nf3 attacks the e5 pawn.
4. Nc6Nc6 defends it.
5. Bc4Bc4 develops the bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal, aiming at f7.
6. Bc5Bc5 mirrors — this is the Italian Game, and both sides are pointing at the weak f-squares.
7. b4b4! The Evans Gambit. White offers the b-pawn purely to deflect the bishop from its good square.
8. Bxb4Black accepts. Declining is respectable but taking is the critical test.
9. c3c3! The real point. The pawn attacks the bishop and simultaneously prepares d4, gaining time with every move.
10. Ba5The bishop retreats to a5, keeping an eye on the c3-d4 complex from a distance.
11. d4d4! White has spent one pawn and now owns a huge centre with a big lead in development.
12. exd4Black takes on d4. Stockfish reads the position at about +0.15 — practically balanced, which for a two-hundred-year-old gambit is a remarkable verdict.

The Anderssen Defense with 5...Be7 — the modern main line and Black's most reliable answer. Instead of putting the bishop on a5 where it can be harassed, Black retreats it out of the way entirely and prepares to hit the c4 bishop with ...Na5. Stockfish reads about -0.1: Black is doing perfectly well here.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. Nf3Nf3 attacks e5.
4. Nc6Nc6 defends.
5. Bc4Bc4 eyes f7.
6. Bc5Bc5 mirrors — the Italian.
7. b4b4! The gambit.
8. Bxb4Black accepts on b4.
9. c3c3 kicks the bishop and prepares d4.
10. Be7Be7! The modern retreat. Rather than a5, the bishop goes to a safe square where it will not be a target.
11. d4d4 builds the big centre as planned.
12. Na5Na5! Black hits the c4 bishop, White's best piece, and gets on with development. Engine: about -0.1, so fully equal.

Declining with 4...Bb6. Black simply refuses the pawn and keeps the bishop on a good diagonal. White gets queenside space with a4 and a comfortable game, but none of the dynamic compensation that makes the gambit special. Stockfish reads about +0.2 for White — a normal Italian Game edge.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. Nf3Nf3.
4. Nc6Nc6.
5. Bc4Bc4 develops.
6. Bc5Bc5 — the Italian setup.
7. b4b4 offers the gambit.
8. Bb6Bb6! Declining. The bishop steps back and keeps its diagonal, and White has committed the b-pawn for nothing concrete.
9. a4a4 makes something of it: White gains space and threatens to trap the bishop with a5.
10. a6a6 gives the bishop an escape square and stops any ideas of b5.
11. Nc3Nc3 develops naturally.
12. Nf6Nf6 completes Black's kingside development. A normal game with a small White pull, about +0.2.

The compact treatment: instead of pushing d4 straight away, White castles and keeps the break in reserve. It is quieter than the main line, keeps more pieces on the board, and avoids the sharpest theory. Stockfish reads about -0.3 for White after 6...Nf6, so this is the less testing of the two approaches.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. Nf3Nf3 hits e5.
4. Nc6Nc6 defends.
5. Bc4Bc4 aims at f7.
6. Bc5Bc5 mirrors.
7. b4b4 — the Evans.
8. Bxb4Black takes on b4.
9. c3c3 gains the tempo.
10. Ba5Ba5 retreats along the diagonal.
11. O-OO-O! Instead of d4, White castles first — the rook comes to e1 and d4 will follow under better circumstances.
12. Nf6Nf6 develops and hits e4. Solid for Black; the engine reads about -0.3, so this line asks fewer questions than 6.d4.