Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Alapin-Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 Bg4
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Alapin-Steinitz Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C52, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 Bg4. It is a line of the Italian Game. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 12 times by this move order. White won 8%, 0% were drawn and Black won 92%. The most popular continuation is 8. Qb3 (42% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.31 (Stockfish, depth 36; best line 8. Bb5 exd4 9. cxd4 Ne7 10. d5 a6)
- ECO
- C52
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r2qk1nr/ppp2ppp/2np4/b3p3/2BPP1b1/2P2N2/P4PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w kq - 1 8- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 Bg4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8 | |
| 2000+ | 1 | |
| All | 12 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Qb3 | 5 (42%) | |
| 8. d5 | 3 (25%) | |
| 8. h3 | 1 (8%) | |
| 8. dxe5 | 1 (8%) | |
| 8. Bxf7+ | 1 (8%) |
Master games
4 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 0%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Pavel Ponkratov (2631) – WGM Maryana Huda (2128) 1-0 · PNWCC Blitz Championship · 2020-08-02
- FM Alen Yeremyan (2237) – FM Patrik Stevik (2316) 1-0 · Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-10
- IM Evarth Dr. Kahn (2095) – FM Mahitosh Dey (2260) 0-1 · FSIM December 2025 · 2025-12-10
Search all games of the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Alapin-Steinitz Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- M90Musfik (1944) – ChessTrack0 (2115) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- Robasop41 (2006) – Hunwer667 (1921) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
- prettyboy5 (1985) – voyto (1937) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Italian Game: Evans Gambit (6. O-O d6) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6
More Italian Game lines (all)
- Italian Game C50
- Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense C50
- Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Deutz Gambit C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (3… Bc5 4. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… d6 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5. O-O O-O) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo (5… O-O 6. d3) C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Canal Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Dubois Variation C50
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation C50
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.