TopNotch wrote on 02/06/20 at 14:36:28:

Forgot that one - while it's decent indeed it doesn't add much to previous sources. My son enjoyed the book during the short period he was interested in chess as a teen.
Must I conclude from you quoting Orwell that you are a pig?

Sandman wrote on 02/03/20 at 17:04:30:

I don't know the Harding book, so I can't judge how useful it still is. I do own Pálkövi's book from 2001 on 3.Bc4 Bc5, which even back then wasn't exactly good. TopNotch is right that the Evans theoretically is a dead end; it has been for a long while. Last decade only Nakamura has won with it against serious opposition (in 2012).
Now TopNotch in the Four Knights asked a correct question: what isn't equal today? So I ask: isn't  the entire set of 1.e4 openings a dead end?
At the other hand this means the label "outdated" is relative. If you plan to pick up the Evans you'll have to do your own research anyway and pay special attention to the few high level games (White lost 4 last decades and another 7 between 2000 and 2010). Then the question is rather if, since Harding, authors have something new to say. If you own Harding I bet you can forget Pálkövi; no idea if Williams and Petrov offer new insights. I don't trust Williams, because his enthousiams affects his objectivity and makes him neglect good options for the defense. Again, after watching those videos you'll still have to do your own work. That's doable; in my database there are 2,6 times as many games with the Four Knights, for instance (games since 2000). You might eg want to take a look at 5...Be7 6.d4 Na5 7.Bd3. I doubt if you find a serious treatment in any book or DVD.

Sandman wrote on 02/03/20 at 17:04:30:


Alterman's gambit guide gave the Evans gambit for white. I dont know how the analysis compares with other source material for detail.

I know there are DVDs by Simon Williams (chessbase) and Marian Petrov (Ichess?). Again i dont know how well these stand up against Harding's book.

I am not sure i know of any other relatively recent books or dvds on the opening (for white).

Bibs wrote on 09/19/08 at 02:23:37:



I have Martin's DVD. I must say I was quite impressed. He covers just about all the games you expect inserting both old classics and modern revivals into every line of the evan's gambit. He's pretty nonbiased giving ideas for both black and white to explore. He tangles alot with move order issues and the reasons why the move orders are critical which is very nice.

I am reading Evans Gambit and a System vs the Two Knights and I am using it to add to my opening game. The book presents a system for playing Evans from White's point of view based on the author's experience with this opening. It is a very interesting opening, I must say, I love it. A landmine for Black if Black is not careful. Of course there are very few drawing lines in this opening, and Black must know them otherwise, it is curtains. The worse case I found is White end up in an unfavorable endgame with 1 pawn down. And White will be hard pressed to play in a rook ending with a pawn deficit. Well, someone said that all rook endings are draws... so I think there is hope for White to draw. But it is going to be a very hard uphill struggle to draw an endgame with a pawn deficit. Of course, Black would have to know the variation which would give him this small advantage.  

Isn't there a good section in Marin's beating the open games on the Evans

SWJediknight wrote on 09/18/08 at 23:06:14:


I have this. Harding generally a solid and quite thorough  author. (see also Marshall, Bishop's Opening etc) His old stuff generally holds up quite well so this text is well worth a look.

Is also interesting to compare his coverage with Renet's of 2KD 5...Ne4 and 5...Ng4. Between them, the best coverage to be had.

Anyone had a good look through Martin's yet?

So I'm looking for a good summary of the evans gambit or a nice analyzed game collection of it. Not necessarily the hot off the mill current modern theory jazz.

I was looking at maybe getting:
Play The Evans Gambit by Tim Harding 1997
Italian Game & Evans Gambit by Jan Pinski 2005
Fritz Trainer DVD The ABC of Evans Gambit byAndrew Martin


Anyone have any reviews of these three or another suggestion?