Kammala wannan jumla: An haifi Evans a ranar 22 ga Maris, 1932 a Manhattan, ɗan Bella (Shotl) da Harry Evans. Iyalinsa Yahudawa ne. Ya koyi abubuwa da yawa game da wasan ta hanyar yin wasa don cents goma a sa'a daya a 42nd Street a Birnin New York, da sauri ya zama tauraro mai tasowa. A shekara 14, ya yi daidai da na 4 zuwa na 5 a gasar zakarun Marshall Chess Club. A shekara ta gaba ya lashe shi gaba daya, ya zama mafi ƙanƙanta na Marshall a wannan lokacin. Ya kuma gama daidai da na biyu a Gasar Junior ta Amurka, wanda ya haifar da labarin a cikin fitowar Satumba 1947 na Chess Review. A shekara 16, ya taka leda a gasar zakarun Amurka ta 1948, ta farko, inda ya yi daidai da na takwas a 111⁄2 <unk> 71⁄2. Evans ya yi daidai da Arthur Bisguier a matsayin na farko a gasar zakarun Amurka ta 1949. A lokacin da yake ɗan shekara 18, ya lashe gasar New York State da kuma lambar zinariya a gasar
Dubrovnik 1950 Gasar Wasannin Chess Olympiad. A cikin na biyun, kashi 90% (nasara takwas da daidaita biyu) a kan allo na shida da Rabar na Yugoslavia don kyakkyawan sakamako na duk gasar Olympics.