Believing In Resources

My experience with Evans Gambit is not the best these days. Several games lost. Yesterday again I had the opportunity als White, and I took it. And yes, I took all my courage and played a compromised, that is, give no less than three pawns for a stormy attack (one usually is gained back). I really did not know the theory. I just knew that this gambit is full of resources. I did not anticipate them, just felt that they must be there. After my 11th move we came to this position:



Black to move and look for a salvage

Can you fine one? My opponent couldn't. He took very long on this position, and the longer I evaluated it, the more I came to the conclusion that Black has no really good choice. A piece is hanging, and he cannot castle. Finally he decided to postpone the task to one move later and played Nxd5. After exd5 he had the dilemma of losing the knight or getting checkmated. He continued Ne5 and after Qe3 he gave up.

Turning the Situation

Yesterday, as White, I once more played my Morra Gambit. My opponent decided to trade pieces as fast as he could as soon as he was a pawn up. But I got a nice compensation with the bishop pair and an advance in development. I was not quite sure if this would be enough, until we came to this situation after move 15 of Black:



At first I considered the meak retreat to f3, but at second glance (checks, captures, threats, you know) I saw that Nxe6 wins the pawn back and gives White an edge with his bishop pair in a quite open position. Of course it was still a long road, but in the end I booked the full point.