Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Be3

ECO C51

The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation is a chess opening line in the Italian Game complex, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Be3.

It is catalogued under code C51 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Be3 is chosen by White on move 11.

The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Steinitz Variation is a line of the Italian Game. The Italian Game is a chess opening that begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4. Read the complete Italian Game guide: what it is, how to reach it, its main variations, how to play against it, and its history.

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Evans Gambit course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.