Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3


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On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com we will learn the Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3. The accepted Danish Gambit is the main line and the most popular play of this chess opening (50% of the gambit's games at master level). The Danish Gambit starts with 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 (figure 1), and then Black accepts the Gambit moving 3... dxc3 (figure 2).

I. Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3


Below we can see the Danish Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3) in figure 1 and the Danish Gambit Accepted (3... dxc3) in figure 2. Black has accepted the gambit and taken 2 pawns sacrificed by White on will. It is the main idea of the Danish Gambit: 2-pawn sacrifice for quick development. The best White moves to respond the Danish Gambit Accepted are: 3.Bc4 (70%) and 3.Nxc3 (25%).

  Figure 1. Danish Gambit       Figure 2. Danish Gambit Accepted
Danish Gambit    Danish Gambit Accepted
Moves: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3
Chess Opening in Figure 1: Danish Gambit
Play Name in Figure 2: Danish Gambit Accepted
Code in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO): C21

Note 1. The Danish Gambit Accepted has 2 official sub-variants:
1. The Schlechter Defense (see figure 2) (3... dxc3) 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 d5 (10%)
2. The Collijn Defense (see figure 2) (3... dxc3) 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Qe7 (2-3%).
Note 2. The gambit can be declined (see figure 1) via 3... d5 (Soerensen Defense), d3, Qe7, Nc6, Nf6.

Learn the proven lines of the Danish Gambit Accepted (see How to Play). They were proved by an opening book, by master games on the Danish Gambit Accepted, and by a chess engine that calculates and shows the following: + is White; - is Black; 0-0.50 equal; 0.51-1.00 slightly better; 1.01-1.50 better; 1.51 much better. Examples: +1.27 (White is better as if White won 1.27 pawns by material). -0.78 (Black is slightly better as if Black won 0.64 pawns). -0.49 (equal). ? weak move.

II. How to Play Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3


1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3

Chess masters play: 4.Bc4 (70%)
Played less common: 4.Nxc3 (25%)
Rarely (not recommended): Nf3, bxc3, Qb3, Bd3, Ne2.


• Main Variants via 4.Bc4 (70%)

Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3

Danish Gambit Accepted
Note 1. The Danish Gambit Accepted often turns into the Schlechter Defense.
First Learn the Schlechter Defense (3... dxc3) 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 d5

Note 2. See below other lines of the Danish Gambit Accepted played via 4.Bc4:
4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Bb4+ 6.Nd2 Nf6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qb3+ d5 (-0.78)
4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 (+0.07)
4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Nxc3 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bb4 7.0-0 0-0 8.e5 Bxc3 (-0.08)

• Variants via 4.Nxc3 (25%)

Danish Gambit Accepted 3... dxc3

Danish Gambit Accepted
4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.Bc4 d6 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nf6 (+0.00)
4.Nxc3 d6 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Nf6 (-0.07)
4.Nxc3 Bb4 5.Bc4 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qe7 (-0.49)

To the Main Page of the Danish Gambit | Lesson 26

On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com we learned the Danish Gambit Accepted 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3, ECO C21. The Danish Gambit Accepted is the most common play of the Danish Gambit, and it often turns into the the Schlechter Defense (as sub-variant). The best White moves to respond the Danish Gambit Accepted are: 3.Bc4 (70%) and 3.Nxc3 (25%)...