Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Pavlov Variation
Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Pavlov Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C51, part of the Italian Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bb6 5. b5 Na5 6. Nxe5 Nh6 7. d4 d6 8. Bxh6 dxe5 9. Bxg7 Rg8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Bxe5 Qg5 12. Nd2. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 23 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
3. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
3... Bc5 – Black plays the bishop to c5
4. b4 – White plays the pawn to b4
4... Bb6 – Black plays the bishop to b6
5. b5 – White plays the pawn to b5
5... Na5 – Black plays the knight to a5
6. Nxe5 – White takes on e5 with the knight
6... Nh6 – Black plays the knight to h6
The line goes on for 11 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the Italian Game
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, White plays 3.Bc4, aiming the bishop at the weak f7 pawn. It teaches quick development and fast castling.
The quiet plan is c3, d3, O-O and later d4 to build a strong centre.
f7 is guarded only by the king, so watch for Ng5 and Qh5 tricks.
Black can reply 3...Bc5 (Giuoco Piano) or 3...Nf6 (Two Knights), both sound choices.
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