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This lesson on chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com is designed for chess beginners to learn the Danish Gambit chess opening. The Danish Gambit is an original, mobile and exiting chess opening. The Danish Gambit is very specific, risky and "may-be-quick" opening which is also aggressive for White: White gives up 1 or 2 pawns on will, to get fast development and attack.
As a rule, White gets overwhelming development and quickly deliver a powerful attack. The main task of Black in a Danish Gambit game is not to break down at the beginning and try to take steps for his own development and reducing the power of White. As for White, it is important to keep the power of 2 bishops (not to exchange) -- especially when the gambit is accepted.
So, the Danish Gambit games are divided into the Danish Gambit Accepted and Danish Gambit Declined... To reduce the power of White or sharpness of strong attack, Black may takes only 1 pawn, conducts a counter-gambit and returns back the sacrificed material at a later stage. Mostly as 3 to 4, Black accepts the gambit with 3... dxc3. The Danish Gambit is rarely played at top level.
The Danish Gambit is popular at beginner level but must be used sparingly. This gambit opening is very effective for White at novice level against a player who never met it before. Is the Danish Gambit good or is the Danish Gambit bad is explained in Chapter III at the bottom... To learn how to correctly play the Danish Gambit chess opening with all variations and lines, see Chapter II.
I. Danish Gambit Explained
Chess Opening Name: Danish Gambit
Moves to Memorize: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3. c3
Encyclopedia of Chess Openings Code: C21
Note. ECO code C21 is not only Danish Gambit.
The Danish Gambit was invented by a Danish chess player in the 19th century, and it belongs to the Open Game chess openings (Open Games start with 1.e4 e5). The main feature of the Danish Gambit was already stated above, namely: White offers a sacrifice of 1 or 2 pawns on will to get quick overwhelming development and attack (while attacking, White must be mobile).
The Danish Gambit is a sub-variant of the C21 Center Game (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4), but the Danish Gambit is a separate chess opening. Under the correct defense, Black can neutralize the White quick development... Because of this, the Danish Gambit is not popular at the top-level of chess but is playable and used as surprise. As for beginners, it is very exiting beautiful and nice opening...
It must be good idea to play the Danish Gambit against an unprepared opponent who is a novice (chess beginner)... You are not recommended (as beginner) to play the Danish Gambit as White party against a chess master. Playing the Danish Gambit as White against the master, you may find shortly that the greatest part of your game was only a great beginning :-(.
• 2 Chess Videos to Get a Feel of the Danish Gambit
II. How to Play the Danish Gambit
The below information on the Danish Gambit variations and how to play the Danish Gambit links will help you learn the following: how to play the Danish Gambit step by step, how to make the correct Danish Gambit moves (you will see proven lines played by chess masters and evaluated by chess engine; you will see Danish Gambit lines including the Declined and Accepted and all variations; you will learn a Danish trap)...
Study below the Danish Gambit all variations (3 official ones):
1. Collijn Defense: 3... dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Qe7
2. Schlechter Defense: 3... dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 d5
3. Soerensen Defense: 3... d5
Use the following links to learn how to play the Danish Gambit (all variations):
• How to Play the Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3 (Most Common)
• How to Play the Schlechter Defense of the Danish Gambit Accepted
• How to Play the Danish Gambit Declined (Soerensen Defense)
• How to Play the Unknown Collijn Defense 5... Qe7
• Danish Gambit | PGN File
Use the link below to see on another page Video 3 which will help you learn the important Danish Gambit trap delivered by White -- the trap will show how Black may lose the queen:
• Video 3: Danish Gambit - Learn This Important Trap
III. Is the Danish Gambit Sound?
Is the Danish Gambit sound opening or is the Danish bad? If we compare playing chess with war, the Danish Gambit opening must definitely resemble a blitzkrieg: the attacker mobilizes all his power to bring a swift victory, and it's important for the defender to repulse the first powerful attack. If the defender encounters it for the first time, he may be overwhelmed...
If the defender knows how to respond, the attacker may have some or even big problems... Blitzkrieg is a good tactic, but it must not be used in all the battles. However, it is effective when no time to think (in blitz chess games)... The Danish Gambit is a sound chess opening without any flaw, but it should be used sparingly. The Danish Gambit is also a good chess opening for chess beginners.
To see all lessons on this chess opening website, and more:
• Chess Openings for Beginners - See All Lessons
• How to Learn Openings on This Website
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This is the main page for the Danish Gambit on chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com and Lesson 26 for chess beginners on this chess opening website. On this page, you could find information on the Danish Gambit chess opening and the needed links to learn how to play it. The Danish Gambit is an exciting opening for beginners. In chess games, it should be used sparingly.
