Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. d4/2...exd4/3. c3

Danish Gambit C21 Centre game → 3...dxc3 · Danish Gambit Accepted 3...d5 · Sörensen Defence 3...Ne7 · Svenonius Defence 3. c3 · Danish gambit This is an aggressive gambit which, if accepted, leads to a tactical game. Before retaking the pawn, White allows Black to take a second one first. White hopes to use the tempi to get their pieces developed, while Black busy capturing pawns. After 3...dxc3, accepting the gambit, White has two choices. After 4. Nxc3, Black is up a pawn, but in exchange White has a piece developed and is the only one with a pawn in the centre. More common is 4. Bc4, giving Black the chance to win another pawn: 4...cxb2 5. Bxb2, White is down two pawns but in compensation has two pieces developed and centre control. While engines find that Black has a slightly edge in the Danish gambit accepted, the lines are nevertheless dangerous to face because of White's piece activity. Therefore it is more common for Black to decline the gambit at this stage, with 3...d5, the Sörensen defence. In lieu of giving White piece activity, Black allows White to recover the pawn, 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. cxd4, 3...Qe7 is an uncommon but sound sideline, where Black stays up one pawn without giving White so much of a development lead. This covers the main moves. Black has a few other moves to give back the pawn, but these are atypical: 3...Nc6 is the most common way to decline the gambit at the amateur level. 4. Nf3 transposes to the Göring gambit more commonly seen in the Scotch game move order, which may still be declined with ...d5. Otherwise, 4. cxd4 d5 5. e5, White regains the material and has more space. 3...d3!? to decline the gambit is inferior, as it allows 4. Bxd3, where White both recovers the material and develops a piece. 3...Ne7 is called the Svenonius defence. History The gambit is named for Martin Severin From (1828―1895), a Danish chess master who played it extensively including at a major tournament in Paris in 1867.Paris (1867). Chessgames.com Theory table 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 3 4 56789 Danish Gambit Accepted c3dxc3 Bc4cxb2 Bxb2Nf6e5 d5exf6 Bb4+Bc3 Bxc3+Nxc3 dxc4∞ Sörensen Defence ...d5 exd5Qxd5 cxd4Nc6Nf3 Bb4+Nc3 Bg4Be2 Bxf3Bxf3 Qc4= Ponziani ...Nf6 e5Nd5 cxd4d6Nf3 Nc6Bb5 Be7Nc3 Nxc3bxc3 a6= Alternate Declination ...d6 cxd4d5 e5c5Nf3 Nc6Bb5 cxd4Nxd4 Bb4+Nc3 Ne7= Advance Variation ...d3 Bxd3Nc6 Nf3Bc5b4 Bb6a4 a6O-O d6Nbd2 Nf6+= Qe7 Variation ...Qe7 cxd4Qxe4+ Be3 Bb4+Nc3 Nf6Nf3 Ng4Qd2 Nxe3fxe3 Qe7∞ Svenonius Defence... Ne7= References See also Danish Gambit