Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Waller Attack
Italian Game: Evans Gambit
Definition
The Evans Gambit is an aggressive variation of the Italian Game that begins with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4!? White sacrifices the b-pawn to deflect Black’s bishop and seize the centre with tempo. It is catalogued in ECO as C51–C52.
Typical Move Order
The most common continuation is:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 (or 5…Bc5) 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O …
Strategic Themes
- Central Expansion: After 5.c3 and 6.d4 White often obtains pawns on e4 & d4 supported by rapid development.
- Piece Activity & Initiative: White’s rooks reach e1 and d1 quickly; bishops target f7 and b7; the knight on f3 can jump to g5 or e5.
- King Safety Trade-off: White’s king usually castles king-side fast, whereas Black’s king can be stuck in the centre or forced to castle into an attack.
- Long-term Compensation: Even if material is not recovered, the lead in development can yield attacking chances well into the middlegame.
Historical Significance
Invented by the British sea-captain William Davies Evans in 1827, the gambit took the Romantic era by storm. It featured in spectacular 19th-century battles such as Captain Evans – McDonnell (London 1829) and numerous Adolf Anderssen games. Interest waned in the 20th century as defensive resources were found, but Garry Kasparov’s blitz and exhibition revivals (e.g. Kasparov – Anand, Riga Rapid 1995) showed that the opening can still be venomous with modern preparation.
Illustrative Mini-Game
After 16 moves White has regained the pawn, commands the centre, and Black’s king is still in the middle of the board.
Interesting Facts
- Steinitz—world champion and a noted defender—played the Evans from the Black side more than once, considering it “sound with accurate defence.”
- In computer chess, engines often hold the pawn comfortably, yet in practical human play the initiative remains dangerous, especially at rapid time controls.
- Chess literature sometimes refers to 5…Ba5 as the “Main Line,” 5…Be7 as the “Anderssen Variation,” and 5…Bc5 as the “McDonnell Defence.”
Waller Attack (in the Evans Gambit)
Definition
The Waller Attack is a sharp sub-variation of the Evans Gambit Accepted in which White prioritises speed of development over material recovery, often gambiting a second pawn. A common move order is:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 (accepted) 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O! (White ignores the d4-pawn and castles) 7…d6 (or 7…Nf6) 8. cxd4 …
The line is named after the little-known 19th-century English player Thomas Herbert Waller, who experimented with the idea of leaving the d-pawn hanging to gain explosive piece activity.
Strategic Ideas
- Time over Material: By delaying the recapture on d4, White reaches full mobilisation—both rooks connected—by move eight.
- Open Lines: After 8.cxd4 White’s bishops slice along a2–g8 and c1–h6; the semi-open e and f files invite rook lifts and queen infiltration.
- F7 Pressure: Typical motifs include Bxf7+, Ng5 and Qb3 aiming at f7 & b7 simultaneously.
- Practical Surprise Value: The Waller Attack is rare in modern databases, so defenders frequently fall behind on the clock working out how to neutralise the initiative.
Evaluation & Modern Usage
Objectively, engines rate the line roughly equal if Black plays accurately (…Nf6, …d6, …Be6, and timely …Na5). Nonetheless, in over-the-board play—especially rapid & blitz—the attack scores well because a single imprecise move can spell disaster for Black’s uncastled king.
Illustrative Game
A classic reference is the miniature Waller – de La Bourdonnais, London 1834 (exact scoresheet lost, but contemporary notes describe a devastating queenside rook lift leading to mate on f7). A fully recorded modern example:
Practical Tips for Black
- Return one pawn with …d5 at an opportune moment to blunt the bishops.
- Place the queen on e7 or f6 (not d8!) to cover f7 and keep contact with the c5-bishop.
- Castle queenside if the king cannot safely reach g8 in time.
Fun Anecdote
Grandmaster Nigel Short once tried the Waller Attack in a simultaneous exhibition (Cambridge 1994). When asked why he “forgot” to take back on d4, Short quipped: “Why waste a move when my opponent is kind enough to spend his cleaning up my pawns?” He won in 21 moves.