Answers.Body: <p>The only point of <code>4...Nxb4</code> is to set a trap already noted in comments
  to two of the answers:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 5. Nxe5? Qf6 6. d4? (6. O-O Qxe5 7. c3 Bd6 8. f4? Qc5+) Bxd4! 7. Qxd4 Nxc2+ 0-1
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Interpolating 6 Bxf7+ doesn't help; the best White can do is bail out with 
  <code>6. O-O</code>, but that's still not nearly enough compensation for the lost Knight.</p>
  
  <p>However, if White plays the normal <code>5. c3</code> instead, Black is basically forced
  to play <code>Nc6</code>, transposing to the Bc5 variation of the main line
  <code>4...Bxb4 5. c3</code> — so <code>4...Nxb4</code> is no better than <code>4...Bxb4</code>,
  and may be worse if you prefer <code>5...Ba5</code> in the main line, or if
  White turns out to have a better move than <code>5. c3</code> (perhaps <code>5. 0-0</code>,
  or an immediate <code>5. d4</code> as <strong>xaisoft</strong> suggests in a comment to 
  <strong>Andrew</strong>'s answer).</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-30T16:40:30.810Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-05-30T16:40:30.810Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Noam D. Elkies
Answers.Body: <p>Answering the original question:
  after 4...Nb4
   5.Ne5 (threatens 6.Nf7 or Bf7+)
       if 5...Nh6 6.d4? Bd6? 7.Bh6 Be5 
             then things go wild with 8.Bf7+ Kf7 9.Qh5+ &amp; then 10.Qe5 
              but Black has a fork with check in hand ...Nc2+ but White has
              the attack.</p>
  
  <pre><code>    However instead of 6...Bd6?, Black has 6...Bd4! as 7.Qd4 fails to 
      7...Nc2+ 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So White needs 6.c3 before 7.d4.
    Basically instead of the original 4...Nb4 5.c3 ... ,<br>
     try 4...Nb4 5.Ne5 Nh6 6.c3  and the position looks good for White.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-16T17:39:35.213Z
Answers.Text: Why is `5... Nh6` necessary? Why not `5... d5!?` or `5... Qf6 6. d4 Bxd4!`.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dag Oskar Madsen
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-16T16:43:39.900Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-05-16T17:06:02.210Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-05-16T17:06:02.210Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: wolly
Answers.Body: <p>I don't play the Evans, but I happened to play this friendly game an hour ago, and came here looking to see what the Books said about 4...Nxb4. I saw no reason to transpose to other lines but sought some advantage, and it was a fun if flawed game. I have not seen a master game with this yet.</p>
  
  <p>(PHS vs Ken, offhand game 5-27-2017)</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 5. Nxe5 d5 6. exd5 Qf6 7. d4 Bb6 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. a3 Na6 10. Ne4 Qh4 11. Qf3 f6 12. Nf7 Bg4 13. Qb3 Bxd4 14. d6 Be6 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. d7+ Kxf7 17. Bxe6+ Kxe6 18. Qxa6+ Bb6 19. Qc4+ Ke5 20. Bb2+ Kf5 21. Ng3+ Kg5 22. Bc1+ 
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-27T19:12:41.643Z
Answers.Text: Black could have played `7... Bxd4`, if I'm not mistaken.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dag Oskar Madsen
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-27T18:43:10.567Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-05-28T09:07:57.540Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-05-28T09:07:57.540Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Pete St.John
Answers.Body: <p>The main strategic theme for White in Evans is White builds up a Powerful Centre and sacrifices some Pawns to create a lasting initiative &amp; one objective of White is always restrict Black to castle . The Evans gambit is for the Players who are the Prime attackers and are bold enough to sacrifice material at all costs to maintain the initiative. </p>
  
  <p>Here in the above position White should castle first and depending on Black's best reply which is d5,Nf6,d*c3 White has too many ways to keep the momentum . </p>
  
  <p>Let's check some of the lines .</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>if dc3 from Black then White can play Bf7+ and then Qd5+ nabs the Black Bishop and Black cannot castle anymore and his King stays in the centre .</li>
  <li>if Nf6 then c*d4 and White's Pawn simply dominates the Centre kicking off the Bishop &amp; the Knights.</li>
  <li>If d5 then after ed5 the e-file from White gets opened . The Queen can come to h5 targeting the f7 pawn and Black King would be in pretty bad position with development quite incomplete and defend for the rest of the Game .</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>I would say this is quite a familiar position for the Evans Gambit practitioners you can refer 1-2 games of Kasparov/Fischer/Janowsky/Marshall/Anderson/Morphy to see how the games go on.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-30T08:18:31.027Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-05-30T08:18:31.027Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Seth Projnabrata
Answers.Body: <p><code>4...Nxb4</code> directly transposes to the main line with <code>4...Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5</code>.  </p>
  
  <p>In that line, white usually plays <code>6. d4 exd4 7. O-O!</code>.  </p>
  
  <p>Black cannot take the pawn on c3 because of <code>8. Bxf7+! Kxf7 9. Qd5+</code> picking off the bishop on c5 with an overwhelming advantage.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 (4... Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5) 5. c3 Nc6 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O $1 dxc3 $2 8. Bxf7+ $1 Kxf7 9. Qd5+
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T16:02:56.283Z
Answers.Text: Andrew, I am slightly confused, how can `4...Nxb4` transpose into `4...Bxb4...`.  After `4...Nxb4`, is it correct to play `5. d4`
Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T16:17:21.527Z
Answers.Text: @xaisoft I added a replayer to help you out.  In the Evan's Accepted, white always plays `5. c3`.  After `5... Nc6`, it is the exact same position as the main line with `5... Bc5`.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T16:32:25.727Z
Answers.Text: OK, it makes sense now. I made the mistake of `7. cxd4` instead of `7. O-O`.
Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T16:34:56.127Z
Answers.Text: The transposition still is a little weird to me, but let me know if I have it right:  Are you saying that since the Black Knight went back to `c6`, it is as if the Bishop captured the `b4` pawn and went back to `c5` and we are essentially back were we started.
Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T16:44:07.910Z
Answers.Text: @xaisoft, yes, that is exactly correct.  Check out the pgn viewer above, the position is the same after black's 5th move in both the main line and the variation.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-01-17T15:34:46.967Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-01-17T16:16:29.017Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2013-01-17T16:16:29.017Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Body: <p>Recently I have been playing the Evans Gambit as many times as I can and for the most part, black plays <code>4...Bxb4</code>, but someone played <code>4...Nxb4</code> and I wasn't sure how to continue.  After the following moves below, how should I continue with the <code>Evans Gambit</code> as white?</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5
  2. Nf3 Nc6
  3. Bc4 Bc5
  4. b4  Nxb4
  5. c3  Nc6
  6. d4  exd4
  </code></pre>
  
Tags: <opening><learning><evans-gambit>
Title: How should White continue after Nxb4 in the Evans Gambit?
ThreadText: # How should White continue after Nxb4 in the Evans Gambit?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-01-17)
  
  Recently I have been playing the Evans Gambit as many times as I can and for the most part, black plays 4...Bxb4, but someone played 4...Nxb4 and I wasn't sure how to continue.  After the following moves below, how should I continue with the Evans Gambit as white?
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5
  2. Nf3 Nc6
  3. Bc4 Bc5
  4. b4  Nxb4
  5. c3  Nc6
  6. d4  exd4
  
  **Tags:** opening, learning, evans-gambit
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2013-01-17. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
  
  4...Nxb4 directly transposes to the main line with 4...Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5.  
  In that line, white usually plays 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O!.  
  Black cannot take the pawn on c3 because of 8. Bxf7+! Kxf7 9. Qd5+ picking off the bishop on c5 with an overwhelming advantage.
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 (4... Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5) 5. c3 Nc6 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O $1 dxc3 $2 8. Bxf7+ $1 Kxf7 9. Qd5+
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: username_6, I am slightly confused, how can `4...Nxb4` transpose into `4...Bxb4...`.  After `4...Nxb4`, is it correct to play `5. d4`  
  > **username_6**: @username_0 I added a replayer to help you out.  In the Evan's Accepted, white always plays `5. c3`.  After `5... Nc6`, it is the exact same position as the main line with `5... Bc5`.  
  > **username_0**: OK, it makes sense now. I made the mistake of `7. cxd4` instead of `7. O-O`.  
  > **username_0**: The transposition still is a little weird to me, but let me know if I have it right:  Are you saying that since the Black Knight went back to `c6`, it is as if the Bishop captured the `b4` pawn and went back to `c5` and we are essentially back were we started.  
  > **username_6**: @username_0, yes, that is exactly correct.  Check out the pgn viewer above, the position is the same after black's 5th move in both the main line and the variation.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-05-30. Score: 1
  
  The only point of 4...Nxb4 is to set a trap already noted in comments
  to two of the answers:
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 5. Nxe5? Qf6 6. d4? (6. O-O Qxe5 7. c3 Bd6 8. f4? Qc5+) Bxd4! 7. Qxd4 Nxc2+ 0-1
  
  Interpolating 6 Bxf7+ doesn't help; the best White can do is bail out with 
  6. O-O, but that's still not nearly enough compensation for the lost Knight.
  However, if White plays the normal 5. c3 instead, Black is basically forced
  to play Nc6, transposing to the Bc5 variation of the main line
  4...Bxb4 5. c3 — so 4...Nxb4 is no better than 4...Bxb4,
  and may be worse if you prefer 5...Ba5 in the main line, or if
  White turns out to have a better move than 5. c3 (perhaps 5. 0-0,
  or an immediate 5. d4 as username_0 suggests in a comment to 
  username_6's answer).
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-05-16. Score: 0
  
  Answering the original question:
  after 4...Nb4
   5.Ne5 (threatens 6.Nf7 or Bf7+)
       if 5...Nh6 6.d4? Bd6? 7.Bh6 Be5 
             then things go wild with 8.Bf7+ Kf7 9.Qh5+ & then 10.Qe5 
              but Black has a fork with check in hand ...Nc2+ but White has
              the attack.
      However instead of 6...Bd6?, Black has 6...Bd4! as 7.Qd4 fails to 
      7...Nc2+ 
  
  So White needs 6.c3 before 7.d4.
    Basically instead of the original 4...Nb4 5.c3 ... ,
     try 4...Nb4 5.Ne5 Nh6 6.c3  and the position looks good for White.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Why is `5... Nh6` necessary? Why not `5... d5!?` or `5... Qf6 6. d4 Bxd4!`.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2017-05-27. Score: 0
  
  I don't play the Evans, but I happened to play this friendly game an hour ago, and came here looking to see what the Books said about 4...Nxb4. I saw no reason to transpose to other lines but sought some advantage, and it was a fun if flawed game. I have not seen a master game with this yet.
  (PHS vs Ken, offhand game 5-27-2017)
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Nxb4 5. Nxe5 d5 6. exd5 Qf6 7. d4 Bb6 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. a3 Na6 10. Ne4 Qh4 11. Qf3 f6 12. Nf7 Bg4 13. Qb3 Bxd4 14. d6 Be6 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. d7+ Kxf7 17. Bxe6+ Kxe6 18. Qxa6+ Bb6 19. Qc4+ Ke5 20. Bb2+ Kf5 21. Ng3+ Kg5 22. Bc1+
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Black could have played `7... Bxd4`, if I'm not mistaken.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2017-05-30. Score: 0
  
  The main strategic theme for White in Evans is White builds up a Powerful Centre and sacrifices some Pawns to create a lasting initiative & one objective of White is always restrict Black to castle . The Evans gambit is for the Players who are the Prime attackers and are bold enough to sacrifice material at all costs to maintain the initiative.
  
  Here in the above position White should castle first and depending on Black's best reply which is d5,Nf6,d\*c3 White has too many ways to keep the momentum .
  
  Let's check some of the lines .
  
  1. if dc3 from Black then White can play Bf7+ and then Qd5+ nabs the Black Bishop and Black cannot castle anymore and his King stays in the centre .
  2. if Nf6 then c\*d4 and White's Pawn simply dominates the Centre kicking off the Bishop & the Knights.
  3. If d5 then after ed5 the e-file from White gets opened . The Queen can come to h5 targeting the f7 pawn and Black King would be in pretty bad position with development quite incomplete and defend for the rest of the Game .
  
  I would say this is quite a familiar position for the Evans Gambit practitioners you can refer 1-2 games of Kasparov/Fischer/Janowsky/Marshall/Anderson/Morphy to see how the games go on.
  
  
  ---
  
  