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 Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Pierce Defense 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. d4 exd4. It is a line of the Italian Game. White is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,560 times by this move order. White won 53%, 3% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 7. O-O (63% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 7. Qb3 Qe7 8. O-O Bb6 9. cxd4 Nxd4)
- ECO
- C52
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/b7/2BpP3/2P2N2/P4PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 7- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 148 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,011 | |
| 2000+ | 401 | |
| All | 1,560 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. O-O | 987 (63%) | |
| 7. Qb3 | 439 (28%) | |
| 7. Nxd4 | 116 (7%) | |
| 7. Ng5 | 6 (0%) | |
| 7. e5 | 5 (0%) | |
| 7. Bd2 | 2 (0%) | |
| 7. Ba3 | 1 (0%) | |
| 7. Qxd4 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
284 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 11%, Black 44%). The strongest:
- GM Zaven Andriasian (2598) – GM Hrant Melkumyan (2656) 1/2-1/2 · 73rd ch-ARM 2013 · 2013-01-18
- GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2665) – GM Peter Prohaszka (2588) 1/2-1/2 · 18th OIBM 2014 · 2014-10-31
- GM Zaven Andriasian (2628) – GM Tsegmed Batchuluun (2513) 1/2-1/2 · World University Men 2014 · 2014-08-22
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2687) – IM Bogdan Belyakov (2448) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 26th Jan · 2021-01-26
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2627) – IM Dinara Saduakassova (2500) 1-0 · Baer Polgar Challenge · 2021-04-08
Search all games of the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Pierce Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM MrSuccess (2709) – TCromwell (2515) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- ElKlemerr (2679) – arteeeeeeeem (2544) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- MiranovicRajko (2561) – arteeeeeeeem (2610) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Main Line 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5
Continuations
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Compromised Defense C52 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Dufresne Defense C52 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d3
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Johner Defense C52 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O b5
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Mieses Defense C52 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O Nge7
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Waller Attack C52 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d6 8. Qb3
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Morphy Attack C51 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d6 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3
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.