Italian Game: Evan's Gambit

ADOLF ANDERSSEN vs. BERTHOLD SUHLE
Breslau, 1860

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

Main line of Evan's Gambit.  White sacrifices a pawn in order to control the center.

5. c3, Bc5
6. 0-0, d6
7. d4, exd4
8. cxd4, Bb6
9. d5, Na5
10. Bb2, Nf6
11. Bd3, Bg4
12. Nc3, c6

Stockfish (computer software) comments that 12...0-0 is better.  The game may continue 13. Na4 Re8, 14. Nxb6 axb6, 15. Qc2 c6, 16. Nd2 Rc8  Black is good.

13. Ne2, 0-0
14. Qd2, Rc8

Stockfish suggested 14. ... Re8.  Now, if 15. Qf4 Bh5, 16. Bxf6 Qxf6, 17. Qxf6 gxf6, 18. Nf4 Bg6 ...

15. Qg5, Bxf3
16. gxf3, cxd5
17. Kh1, Nc4?

A bad move.  Black should have forced exchanges in order to eliminate the mating threat by 17. ... Ne8, 18. Qxd8 Bxd8, 19. Rac1 Rxc1, 20. Rxc1 Nc6, 21. exd5 ...

18. Rg1 Ne8

19. Qxg7+, Nxg7
20. Rxg7+, Kh8
21. Rg8+, Kxg8
22. Rg1+ ...

White now wins the game.  The rest of the move is plain cosmetics.

22. ... Qg5
23. Rxg5 mate.

Italian Game, Max Lange Attack

VISWANATHAN ANAND vs. MAGNUS CARLSEN
Norway Rapid, April 1, 2017

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d4, exd4
5. 0-0, Bc5

Black employs the Max Lange Attack.

6. e5, d5

Black opts to exchange pieces.

7. exf6, dxc4
8. Re1+, Kf8
9. Bg5 ...

White intends to capture the g7 pawn, while attacking the opponent's Queen.

9. ... gxf6
10. Bh6+, Kg8
11. Nc3, Bg4

Black cannot capture the Knight because of the mating threat Qxd8.

12. Ne4, b6
13. c3, Ne5

If 13....dxc3, then 14.Qxd8 Rxd8, 15. Nxf6 mate.

14. Nxe5!,  Bxd1

A stunning Queen sacrifice!  This paves the way for White's victory.

15. Nd7!  ...

Now, it is clear.  White intends to capture the f6 pawn, which leads to mate.

15. ... Be7
16. N4xf6, Bxf6
17. Re8+!, Qxe8
18. Nf6 mate.

Great play by Anand.

Author's note:  While a You Tube video presentation exists, the game is not recorded in other chess literature.  Therefore, there is no certainty that the game was ever played.

Italian Game, Scotch Gambit Anderssen Attack

WILLIAM HENRY KRAUSE POLLOCK vs. ALLIES
Buffalo, New York, 1893

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d4, exd4
5. 0-0, Nxe4
6. Re1, d5
7. Bxd5!, Qxd5
8. Nc3!! ....

The Scotch Gambit Anderssen Attack.  White takes advantage of the pins.

8. .... Qf5
9. Nxe4, Be6
10. Nxd4, Nxd4
11. Qxd4, h6
12. b3 ....

White opens the long diagonal....

12. .... a6
13. Bb2, a5
14. Rad1, f6
15. Qd7+!! ....

An unexpected attack.  Black has no choice but to capture the Queen.

15. .... Bxd7
16. Nd6+!!, Kd8
17. Nf7+ ....

Rather than capture the opponent Queen, White keeps the pressure....

17. .... Kc8
18. Re8+!!, Bxe8
19. Rd8 mate

A magnificently executed attack, made even more beautiful by a Queen sacrifice.

Italian Game, Guioco Pianissimo Normal Variation

SERAFINO DUBOIS vs. WILHELM STEINITZ
London, 1862

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d3, Bc5
5. 0-0, d6
6. Bg5, h6
7. Bh4, g5
8. Bg3, h5!!
9. Nxg5? ....

White should have moved h4, neutralizing Black's attack.

9. .... h4!
10. Nxf7 ....

10. .... hxg3!!

Black continues the attack sacrificing the Queen in the process.

11. Nxd8, Bg4!

Black takes advantage of the pin on f2.

12. Qd2, Nd4!!
13. Nc3 ....

White thought that the Knight is going to e2, that is why he did not move hxg3, because of what he thought was the threat Ne2+ winning his Queen.  But Black has the most perfect idea in mind.

13. .... Nf3+
14. gxf3 ....

Black cannot move his King to h1 because of Rxh2 mate.

14. .... Bxf3!!

Now White's doom is sealed.  Black threatens gxh2 mate.

15. hxg3 Rh1 mate.

A relentless attack by Black enhanced even more by a beautiful Queen sacrifice.

Italian Game Evans Gambit Accepted

CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAVIES EVANS vs. ALEXANDER MCDONNELL
London, England, 1929

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Bc5
4. b4, Bxb4
5. c3, Bc5
6. 0-0, Nf6
7. d4, exd4
8. cxd4, Bb6
9. e5, d5
10. exf6, dxc4
11. Re1+, Kf8
12. d5, Na5
13. Be7! ....

White begins to dislodge the Black Queen from the back rank.

13. .... Qd7
14. fxg7, Kxg7
15. Qd2, Qg4

Black prevents White's check by Queen at g5.

16. Qc3+!, Kg8
17. Qxh8+!! ....

An unexpected Queen sacrifice!

17. .... Kxh8
18. Bf6+, Qg7
19. Re8 mate

Simply amazing!

Italian Game, Evans Gambit Morphy Attack

HERMANN CLEMENZ vs. EISENSCHMIDT
Dorpat, 1890

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

The Evans Gambit.  White sacrifices a pawn to establish control of the center.

4. .... Bxc4
5. c3, Bc5
6. d4, exd4
7. cxd4, Bc6
8. 0-0, d6
9. Nc3 ....

The Evans Gambit, Morphy Attack.

9. .... Bd7
10. e5!, dxe5
11. Re1, Nge7

It would be futile to defend the e5 pawn.

12. Ng5, Be6

If 12....0-0, then 13. Nxf7 Rxf7, 14. Qf3 White has a strong attack.

13. Bxf6, fxf6
14. Nxf6, Qd6
15. Nxg7, Kf8
16. Qg4, Bxd4?

Black could have fared batter if 16....Rg8, 17. Ne6+ Kf7, 18. Ng5+ Ke8, 19. Qh5+ Qg6.

17. Ne4, Qb4
18. Ne6+, Ke8
19. Nf6+, Kf7
20. Ng5+, Kf8

If 20....Kxf6, then White clinches victory with 21. Qe6+ Kg7, 22. Qf7+ Kh6, 23. Nf3+ with a mating attack.

21. Ba3 ....

Done to save the Rook at e1.

21. .... Qxa3
22. Qe6 ....

Threatens mate at f7.

22. .... Nd8

Black covers the threatened square.  So he thought.  Now comes a shocker....

23. Qf7+ ....

Black is caught flat-footed !

23. .... Nxf7
24. Ne6 mate.

Magnificent!

Italian Game: Scotch Gambit - Max Lange Attack

BOZIDAR KAZIC vs. B. VUKOVIC
Unknown Location, 1940

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d4, exd4
5. 0-0, Bc5
6. e5 ....

The Max Lange Attack.  A similar game is found in this blog (Fred Brown vs. Gibbs, London, 1918).

6. .... d5
7. exf6, dxc4
8. Re1, Kf8
9. Bg5, gxf6
10. Bh6+, Kg8
11. Nc3, Bg4
12. Ne4, b6
13. c3, Ne5
14. Nxe5!! ....

White used his own Queen as bait.

14. ....  Bxd1
15. Nd7 ....

The Knight could not be taken because of N4xf6 mate.

15. .... Be7

Black defends the f6 pawn, but White proves that the defense is futile.

16. Nexf6+, Bxf6
17. Re8+, Qxe8
18. Nxf6 mate.

A picture-perfect mate.

Italian Game, Scotch Gambit - Max Lange Attack

FRED BROWN vs. GIBBS
London, 1918

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d4 ....

The e-pawn is sacrificed in order to open up the e-file.

4. .... exd4
5. 0-0, Bc5
6. e5! ....

The Max Lange Attack.  The position can arise from many different opening lines. including the Two Knights Defense, Petroff Defense, Bishop's Opening, and Center Game.

6. .... d5
7. exf6, dxc4
8. Re1+!!, Kf8
9. Bg5, gxf6?

This move aggravated Black's position.  Black instead should have moved his Queen to a safer location.

10. Bh6+, Kg8
11. Nc3, Bg4
12. Ne4, Bb6?

Better for Black is Be7 in order to defend the pawn at f6.

13. Qe2 ....

Threatening Nxf6, then Qe8.

13. .... Ne5
14. Nxe5 ....

A totally unexpected Queen sacrifice.

14. .... Bxe2

Better (but still inadequate) reply for Black is 14. .... Bf5, 15. Qf3 fxe5, 16. Qxf5  ...

15. Nd7 !! ....

Threatening N(any)xf6+.  At this point we could not see any solution for Black.

15. .... Ba5
16. N7xf6, Qxf6
17. Nxf6 mate.

Beautiful.

Morphy's Knights

NAPOLEON MARACHE vs. PAUL MORPHY
New York, 1857
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Pierce Defense

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Bc5
4. b4, Bxb4
5. c3, Ba5
6. d4, exd4

The Pierce Defense. 

7. e5, d5
8. exd6, Qxd6
9. 0-0, Nge7
10. Ng5, 0-0
11. Bd3, Bf5
12. Bxf5, Nxf5
13. Ba3, Qg6

White is trading one of his Rooks for the opponent's Knight.

14. Bxf8, Qxg5
15. Ba3, dxc3
16. Bc1, Qg6
17. Bf4, Rd8
18. Qc2, Ncd4
19. Qe4 ....

19. .... Ng3!!

The Knight could not be taken because White loses his Queen.  White then thought that he gets a piece by simply eliminating the threat ....

20. Qxg6, Nde2 mate.

Spectacular!

Italian Game: Evans Gambit

PAUL MORPHY vs. ALONZO MORPHY
New Orleans, 1849

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nf6
3. Bc4, Bc5
4. b4, Bxc4

The Evans Gambit, with the intention of controlling the d4 square.

5. c3, Bc5
6. d4, exd4
7. cxd4, Bb6
8. 0-0, Na5
9. Bd3, d5
10. exd5, Qxd5
11. Ba3, Be6
12. Nc3, Qd7
13. d5!! ....

A poisoned pawn, intending to drive away the Bishop, but Black accepts the bait....

13. .... Bxd5
14. Nxd5, Qxd5
15. Re1+, Resigns

Black's King cannot go to d7 because of 16. Bf5+ Kc6, 17. Be4 and White wins.

If 15....Kd8, then 16. Bb5 c6, 17. Qxd5 cxd5, 18. Re8+ and White wins material.

Superb play by Paul Morphy!