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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
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1 Answer

up vote 7 down vote accepted

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+
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Andrew, I am slightly confused, how can 4...Nxb4 transpose into 4...Bxb4.... After 4...Nxb4, is it correct to play 5. d4 – xaisoft Jan 17 at 16:02
@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. – Andrew♦ Jan 17 at 16:17
OK, it makes sense now. I made the mistake of 7. cxd4 instead of 7. O-O. – xaisoft Jan 17 at 16:32
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. – xaisoft Jan 17 at 16:34
@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. – Andrew♦ Jan 17 at 16:44

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