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Date: 31 Oct 2004 00:12:13
From: Toni Lassila
Subject: Evans Gambit with 7...Nf6
Included for your study is a pleasing miniature I played in the Evans
Gambit. I believe after 8...Ne4 Black is lost and give some lines to
back this up. Is there some other defense at his disposal I have
missed?

T.Lassila - N.N

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. b4 Bxb4

Entering the Evans Gambit in the style of romantic 19th century
players. This style of play is not for the weak of heart nor should it
be actively cultivated, but every once in a while it can be productive
to invite total mayhem on the chessboard.

5. c3 Ba5
6. d4 exd4

Perhaps soundest here is the Lasker Defense 6...d6, but who can resist
grabbing another pawn when Black won't have a pleasant middlegame in
either case.

7. O-O Nf6

The Compromised Defense (7...dxc3!?) is notoriously tricky for Black,
but this line is probably inferior as well.

8. e5 Ne4?

Black should have tried 8...d5 9. exf6 dxc4 10. fxg7 Rg8 11. Bg5 Qd5
12. Bf6 where White stands better but at least he must work hard to
demonstrate an edge.

9. Re1! Nxc3

Inviting Black to grab some more material when he is already two pawns
ahead. 9. cxd4 would give White a very small advantage.

10. Nxc3 Bxc3
11. Bg5 Ne7

The point behind the nasty business conducted on c3. Black's pieces
are confined to his two first ranks and the lone bishop can't do much
to help. Meanwhile White has four distinct targets, namely d7, f7, h7
and the Black king!

12. Nxd4 O-O

Black puts up resistance with 12...Bxe1 (12...Bxd4 13. Qxd4 O-O 14.
Qh4 Re8 15. Re3 +-) 13. Nf5 d5 14. Nxg7+! Kf8 15. Bh6 Kg8 16. Nh5 but
the only defense against Qg4 is 16...f5 17. e6 Bc3 18. Qc1 and Black
is hopelessly lost.

13. Nf5 Bb4

The only way to save the knight.

14. Qh5! Qe8

Qh5 wins on the spot as now there is no decent defense to save the
king and the queen at the same time. Much too slow is Rb1, and Qg4
fails to d5. Black could have tried 14...c6 15. Bd3 Nxf5 16. Bxd8 Bxe1
17. Rxe1 Rxd8 18. Qxf5 but prospects of survival look bleak to say the
least.

15. Nxg7 Qd8

Kxg7 is mate in 4.

16. Bf6 1-0

Black resigned while still up a pawn but otherwise not much to take
home with him.

--
King's Gambit - http://kingsgambit.blogspot.com
Chess problems, tactics, analysis and more.




 
Date: 01 Nov 2004 00:17:58
From: Ron
Subject: Re: Evans Gambit with 7...Nf6
In article <[email protected] >,
Toni Lassila <[email protected] > wrote:


> T.Lassila - N.N
>
> 1. e4 e5
> 2. Nf3 Nc6
> 3. Bc4 Bc5
> 4. b4 Bxb4
> 5. c3 Ba5
> 6. d4 exd4
> 7. O-O Nf6
>
> The Compromised Defense (7...dxc3!?) is notoriously tricky for Black,
> but this line is probably inferior as well.

Indeed, but 7. ...Nge7 is fully playable for black, and 7.... d6 may be,
as well.

> 8. e5 Ne4?
>
> Black should have tried 8...d5 9. exf6 dxc4 10. fxg7 Rg8 11. Bg5 Qd5
> 12. Bf6 where White stands better but at least he must work hard to
> demonstrate an edge.

Interestingly, this pawn thrust of yours may itself be premature --
esentially because you can get Ba3 in for free by playing 8.Ba3 d6 and
only then 9.e5 (8....Nxe4 is well met by Qb3!)

There's also the possibility of the parodoxical move 8.Ng8!? White has a
huge development advantage but it's not obvious how to break through
(9.Qb3 Qe7 10.Ba3 d6 11.ed Qf6)


>
> 9. Re1! Nxc3
>
> Inviting Black to grab some more material when he is already two pawns
> ahead. 9. cxd4 would give White a very small advantage.
>
> 10. Nxc3 Bxc3
> 11. Bg5 Ne7
>
> The point behind the nasty business conducted on c3. Black's pieces
> are confined to his two first ranks and the lone bishop can't do much
> to help. Meanwhile White has four distinct targets, namely d7, f7, h7
> and the Black king!
>
> 12. Nxd4 O-O
>
> Black puts up resistance with 12...Bxe1 (12...Bxd4 13. Qxd4 O-O 14.
> Qh4 Re8 15. Re3 +-) 13. Nf5 d5 14. Nxg7+! Kf8 15. Bh6 Kg8 16. Nh5 but
> the only defense against Qg4 is 16...f5 17. e6 Bc3 18. Qc1 and Black
> is hopelessly lost.

If there's a defense you're missing, I think it's in the 12...Bxd4
line: 15.Re3 b5! 16.Bb3 Bb7 17.Rh3 (the bishop stops Rf3) h7 18.Bxh7
19.Nf5!

White may have an improvement on his 17th move in this line, however,
although Qh5 doesn't look to me to be worth more than a draw by
repetition after Rf8.

> 13. Nf5 Bb4
>
> The only way to save the knight.

Of course, this is why I found myself looking to exchange the bishop on
move 12. Better to exchange it on move 12 than have it tied to a
hopelessly defensive position on move 13. White's initiative is crushing.

> 14. Qh5! Qe8
>
> Qh5 wins on the spot as now there is no decent defense to save the
> king and the queen at the same time. Much too slow is Rb1, and Qg4
> fails to d5. Black could have tried 14...c6 15. Bd3 Nxf5 16. Bxd8 Bxe1
> 17. Rxe1 Rxd8 18. Qxf5 but prospects of survival look bleak to say the
> least.

14. ...d5!

Not a saving move, but it at least prolongs the fight.

14. ...d5! 15.exd6 Bxf5! 16.dxe7 Qd4!

And now white must be very careful. 17.Qh4 still should win (black ends
up with a protected passed pawn for the piece, which shouldn't be
sufficient given that the pawn is on c7). But white's got plenty of ways
to go wrong, now.

> 15. Nxg7 Qd8
>
> Kxg7 is mate in 4.
>
> 16. Bf6 1-0
>
> Black resigned while still up a pawn but otherwise not much to take
> home with him.

Nicely played.


  
Date: 01 Nov 2004 13:22:22
From: Toni Lassila
Subject: Re: Evans Gambit with 7...Nf6
On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 00:17:58 -0800, Ron <[email protected] >
wrote:

Thank you for your comments. Replies inline.

>In article <[email protected]>,
> Toni Lassila <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> T.Lassila - N.N
>>
>> 1. e4 e5
>> 2. Nf3 Nc6
>> 3. Bc4 Bc5
>> 4. b4 Bxb4
>> 5. c3 Ba5
>> 6. d4 exd4
>> 7. O-O Nf6
>>
>> The Compromised Defense (7...dxc3!?) is notoriously tricky for Black,
>> but this line is probably inferior as well.
>
>Indeed, but 7. ...Nge7 is fully playable for black, and 7.... d6 may be,
>as well.
>
>> 8. e5 Ne4?
>>
>> Black should have tried 8...d5 9. exf6 dxc4 10. fxg7 Rg8 11. Bg5 Qd5
>> 12. Bf6 where White stands better but at least he must work hard to
>> demonstrate an edge.
>
>Interestingly, this pawn thrust of yours may itself be premature --
>esentially because you can get Ba3 in for free by playing 8.Ba3 d6 and
>only then 9.e5 (8....Nxe4 is well met by Qb3!)
>
>There's also the possibility of the parodoxical move 8.Ng8!? White has a
>huge development advantage but it's not obvious how to break through
>(9.Qb3 Qe7 10.Ba3 d6 11.ed Qf6)

12. Nxd4 Nxd4 {what else?} 13. cxd4 c6 and I'm certainly not liking
Black at all.

>> 9. Re1! Nxc3
>>
>> Inviting Black to grab some more material when he is already two pawns
>> ahead. 9. cxd4 would give White a very small advantage.
>>
>> 10. Nxc3 Bxc3
>> 11. Bg5 Ne7
>>
>> The point behind the nasty business conducted on c3. Black's pieces
>> are confined to his two first ranks and the lone bishop can't do much
>> to help. Meanwhile White has four distinct targets, namely d7, f7, h7
>> and the Black king!
>>
>> 12. Nxd4 O-O
>>
>> Black puts up resistance with 12...Bxe1 (12...Bxd4 13. Qxd4 O-O 14.
>> Qh4 Re8 15. Re3 +-) 13. Nf5 d5 14. Nxg7+! Kf8 15. Bh6 Kg8 16. Nh5 but
>> the only defense against Qg4 is 16...f5 17. e6 Bc3 18. Qc1 and Black
>> is hopelessly lost.
>
> If there's a defense you're missing, I think it's in the 12...Bxd4
>line: 15.Re3 b5! 16.Bb3 Bb7 17.Rh3 (the bishop stops Rf3) h7 18.Bxh7
>19.Nf5!

16. Bd3! wins because of the mate threat on h7 winning material:
16...h6 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Qe4 Qc5!? 19. Qh7+ {NOT 19. Qxa8? when
19...c6! traps the queen} Kf8 20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7 Qb6.

>White may have an improvement on his 17th move in this line, however,
>although Qh5 doesn't look to me to be worth more than a draw by
>repetition after Rf8.
>
>> 13. Nf5 Bb4
>>
>> The only way to save the knight.
>
> Of course, this is why I found myself looking to exchange the bishop on
>move 12. Better to exchange it on move 12 than have it tied to a
>hopelessly defensive position on move 13. White's initiative is crushing.

Indeed, but like I said I believe in all lines after 11. Bg5 Ne7 12.
Nxd4 Black loses by force.

>> 14. Qh5! Qe8
>>
>> Qh5 wins on the spot as now there is no decent defense to save the
>> king and the queen at the same time. Much too slow is Rb1, and Qg4
>> fails to d5. Black could have tried 14...c6 15. Bd3 Nxf5 16. Bxd8 Bxe1
>> 17. Rxe1 Rxd8 18. Qxf5 but prospects of survival look bleak to say the
>> least.
>
>14. ...d5!
>
> Not a saving move, but it at least prolongs the fight.
>
> 14. ...d5! 15.exd6 Bxf5! 16.dxe7 Qd4!
>
> And now white must be very careful. 17.Qh4 still should win (black ends
>up with a protected passed pawn for the piece, which shouldn't be
>sufficient given that the pawn is on c7). But white's got plenty of ways
>to go wrong, now.

Yes, good call. This defense was Black's best shot in a difficult
position.

>
>> 15. Nxg7 Qd8
>>
>> Kxg7 is mate in 4.
>>
>> 16. Bf6 1-0
>>
>> Black resigned while still up a pawn but otherwise not much to take
>> home with him.
>
>Nicely played.


--
King's Gambit - http://kingsgambit.blogspot.com
Chess problems, tactics, analysis and more.


   
Date: 01 Nov 2004 21:52:12
From: Ron
Subject: Re: Evans Gambit with 7...Nf6
In article <[email protected] >,
Toni Lassila <[email protected] > wrote:

> Yes, good call. This defense was Black's best shot in a difficult
> position.

Thanks for the corrections.

-Ron