6/14/2025 – In this episode, Svitlana gives an in-depth introduction to the Evans Gambit, a sharp and aggressive opening in the Italian Game that sacrifices a pawn to gain rapid development and attacking chances. She explains the main ideas for both sides, key traps, and various defensive setups for Black, emphasizing how crucial preparation and understanding of typical tactical patterns are. The lesson concludes with historical context, including a look at the famous "Evergreen Game" by Anderssen, and encourages viewers to explore this opening for its practical surprise value and rich attacking potential.
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Svitlana's Smart Moves - Episode 118
With Svitlana Demchenko and Arne Kaehler
Svitlana Demchenko is a 20-year-old, Canadian WIM and chess coach. Here and now, she will teach us plenty of smart moves on the board, ranging from tactics, strategies, openings, and everything else chess-related. In the process, I'm happy to be available as a student at club player level, and pester the Women's International Master with questions. Anyone who wants to strengthen their chess skills is welcome to watch, and actively replay the positions from the video on our chessboard.
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1.e4
1,182,453
54%
2421
---
1.d4
957,826
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
285,853
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,465
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,863
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,579
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,949
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,899
50%
2383
---
1.b4
1,790
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,249
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,080
49%
2409
---
1.d3
967
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Bc54.b4The starting position of the Evans Gambit.4.c3leads to regular Italian positions, explored in a previous lesson4...Bxb44...Nxb45.c3Nc66.d4transposes4...Bb65.0-0Nf66.b5Nd46...Na57.Nxe5d67...Qe7?8.Bxf7+Kd89.d4d610.Nc3dxe511.dxe5+Bd712.e6+-8.Nxf77.Nxe5Qe78.Nf38.Bxf7+?Kd88.Nxf7?d5-+4...Be75.a3Nf66.d3d57.exd5Nxd58.0-05.c3The whole idea of White's pawn sacrifice is to take quick control of the centre.Ba5Most commonly played move and one with the most complications.5...Bc56.d4exd47.cxd4Bb67...Bb4+8.Nbd2Nf69.d5!Ne710.0-08.0-0d69.Nc3Na59...Nf6?10.e5dxe511.Ba3±10.Bd3Bg411.Nd5Bxf312.Qxf3Bxd413.Rb15...Be7second in popularity. In these lines, we often focus on the f7 pawn.6.d4exd46...d6?!7.Qb3Na57...Kf88.Bxf7Na59.Qa48.Bxf7+Kf89.Qa4Kxf710.Qxa56...Na5is theory, but not easy to find independently7.Nxe5Nxc48.Nxc4d58...Nf69.e5Nd510.Qg4g611.Qe4Nb612.Nd6+cxd613.exd69.exd5Qxd510.Ne3Qa511.0-0=6...Nf6?!7.dxe5Ng48.Qd50-09.h3Nh610.0-0d611.exd6Qxd67.Qb3Na58.Bxf7+Kf89.Qa4Kxf79...c610.Bb3Nxb311.axb3d512.exd5Qxd513.0-0±10.Qxa5∞6.d4exd46...d67.Qb3Qd77...Qe78.d5Nd48...Nd8??9.Qa4++-9.Nxd4exd410.0-010.Qa4+Kd811.Qxa5?Qxe4+12.Kf1d3-+10...Bb611.Bb2dxc311...Nf612.cxd4Qxe412...Nxe4?13.Re10-014.f3Qf615.Rxe4+-13.Nd212.Nxc37...Qf6??8.d5Nd49.Nxd4exd410.Qa4++-8.0-0Bb68...Nf6?!9.dxe5±Black is already in some trouble.9.Bb5a610.Ba4Ba711.Qb2importantb512.Bc2Nf6=6...Nf6?7.dxe5Ng48.Bg5f69.exf6gxf69...Nxf610.e5d511.Bd3+-10.Bh4+-6...Nge77.d5Nb88.Nxe50-09.Bd3d610.Nc4Bb611.0-0=7.Qb3this position has been played many times, including by very strong players.7.0-0is the most popular move, but Qb3 is a bit more direct and forcing, and 0-0 follows anyway.7...Qe77...Qf68.0-0Nge78...dxc39.Bg5Qg610.Nxc3Bxc311.Qxc3Nf612.e5Ne413.Qe38...Bb69.e5Qg69...Nxe5?10.Re1d611.cxd4+-10.cxd4Nxd411.Nxd4Bxd412.Nc3=8...d39.e5Qg6One of the most famous games of all time, the Evergreen game, went:10.Re1Nge711.Ba311.Qd111...b512.Qxb5Rb813.Qa4Bb614.Nbd2Bb715.Ne4Qf5?16.Bxd3Qh517.Nf6+?gxf618.exf6Rg8!19.Rad1Qxf320.Rxe7+‼Nxe721.Qxd7+‼Kxd722.Bf5+Ke823.Bd7+Kf824.Bxe7#1-0 Anderssen,A-Dufresne,J Berlin 'Evergreen' 18529.cxd40-09...Nxd4?10.Nxd4Qxd411.Bxf7+Kf812.Bh5g613.Bb210.Bg5Qd611.Na3a612.Nc28.0-0Bb68...Nf69.cxd4Nxe49...0-010.e5Ne811.Bg5Qb412.Qd3±9...d6?10.e5dxe511.d5Nb412.Qa4+Bd713.Qxa5Nc214.Ba3Qd815.Qc3Nxa116.Qxe5++-10.Ba3d610...Nd611.Nc30-012.Nd5Qd813.Bxd6cxd614.Rab1=11.Bd30-012.d5Nb813.Qa4Nxf2!14.Rxf214.Kxf2Bb6+15.Kg3f516.h3±14...Bb615.Qc2Bxf2+16.Kxf2±8...d6?!9.e5Nxe59...dxe510.cxd4exd411.Nbd210.Nxe5Qxe511.Bxf7+Kf812.cxd4Qxd413.Bb2±8...dxc39.Nxc3Bxc39...Nf610.Nd5Nxd511.exd5+-10.Qxc3Nf611.Ba3d612.e5±9.cxd4Nxd49...Bxd4?10.Nxd4Nxd411.Qd3Nc612.Nc3Ne513.Qg3±13.Qe2?!Nf610.Nxd4Bxd411.Nc3Nf611...Bxc3?12.Qxc3Nf613.Re10-014.e5Ng415.h3+-11...d612.Rd1Bxc313.Qxc3Qe514.Qb3Qxa115.Bxf7+Kf816.Bxg8Rxg816...Qf617.e5+-17.Bb2+-11...c612.Ba3d613.e5+-12.Ba3d613.Rad1Bxc314.Qxc3Qe5still lots of traps left for Black to decode:14...Nxe4?15.Qxg7Qf616.Qxf6Nxf617.Bb2Ke718.Rde1+Be619.f4+-15.Qc10-016.Bb2Qxe417.Bxf6gxf618.Bd5Qg619.Qxc7=
(If necessary, press the blue arrow on the right side)
If you like Svitlana's Smart moves, you will certainly enjoy her video lectures about "Surprising your opponents with the Lazy Sicilian", her first Fritztrainer "Understanding Material Imbalances", and her courses "The Scotch Game", and the "Leningrad Dutch Defence". Her newest Entry is the "King's Indian Attack"!
Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.
The Leningrad Dutch Defence is a dynamic and aggressive opening choice for Black, perfect for players who want to add some adventure and spice to their repertoire.
Arne KaehlerArne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.
6/6/2025 – In this episode of Svitlana's Smart Moves, WGM Svitlana Demchenko dives into some of the most exciting tactical moments from Norway Chess 2025. She challenges viewers to sharpen their calculation skills by solving real-game puzzles featuring top grandmasters. Get ready to put your tactics to the test!
5/30/2025 – In this episode of Svitlana's Smart Moves, Svitlana and Arne analyse a historic World Championship game from the 1985 match between Karpov and Kasparov. The focus is on Kasparov's bold pawn sacrifice, 9...d5, in the Sicilian, which showcases deep home preparation and leads to him getting a powerful "octopus knight" on d3. The analysis reveals how Kasparov's strategic mastery and piece coordination slowly restricted Karpov's position until it collapsed under pressure. The episode highlights how classical games still offer valuable lessons, especially in regard to positional dominance and long-term planning.
On this 60 mins video we are going to concentrate on a simple, very solid idea in the main line Scandinavian, which even Magnus Carlsen has used to win games. Black focusses on making his life easy in the opening and forces White to work very hard to get advantage – but it is doubtful if White can get an advantage. Club players are always on the lookout for effective, time-saving solutions and here we have just that. Accompany FIDE Senior Trainer and IM Andrew Martin on this 60 mins video. You can learn a new opening system in 60 mins and start to play it with confidence on the very same day!
In 1883 Steinitz is already World Champion, he goes to New Orleans and wants to challenge Morphy, but this is not possible. Steinitz then plays with Maurian, a friend and usual opponent of Paul, and although he no longer plays ,by white, the Evans in official competitions from 1872, he decides to use the Gambit to show that he can do better than Morphy.
I can anticipate your every move and still find a way to achieve my goal.
arzi 6/16/2025 09:00
The opening has also been used by Kasparov and Shirov. Kasparov against Piket and Anand, Shirov against Timman.
Davidx1 6/14/2025 04:06
It is an exciting opening even if it is not 100% logically correct.
In Bilguer's manual, 1843,there are variations good for black, as played by Anderssen against Morphy.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
The Trompowsky is especially suited for faster time controls as you don‘t have to memorise endless lines of theory, and you push your opponent out of their comfort zone after your second move.
Trompowsky Powerbook 2025 is based on 53,000 computer games from the engine room of playchess.com as well as 49,000 games from Mega and correspondence chess.
Trompowsky Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 8727 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 316 are annotated.
2025 European Championship with a German double victory and analyses by Bluebaum, Svane, Rodshtein, Yuffa, Navara and many more. Opening videos by Engel, King and Marin. Training sections “The Fortress”, “The Trap” and “Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" etc.
In this dynamic and practical video course, IM Andrew Martin arms you with powerful antidotes to White’s most annoying sidelines.
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