Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4/3...Bc5/4. b4/4...Bb6/5. b5/5...Na5/6. Nxe5

Evans Gambit Declined Evans Gambit Declined 6. Nxe5 White takes the undefended pawn on e5 while also defending their attacked bishop and threatening Nxf7, which would win Black's rook to a fork. It is true Black could trade with 6...Nxc4, but after the recapture 7. Nxc4, White is a clean pawn up. So Black has two real options: /6...Nh6/, the Lange Variation, defending f7, and /6...Qg5/, the Hirschbach Variation, going on a counterattack instead.