Danish Gambit Soerensen Defense C21


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On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com we will learn the Soerensen Defense of the Danish Gambit. The Soerensen Defense is a popular variation and the main play to decline the Danish Gambit (each third game on the Danish at master level is the Soerensen Defense). The Danish Gambit starts as 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 (figure 1), and the Soerensen Defense is 3... d5 (figure 2).

I. Danish Gambit Soerensen Defense


The Soerensen Defense variation is the main way and most common black move (3... d5) to decline the Danish Gambit. To decline the Gambit, they rarely use 3... d3, Qe7, Nc6, Nf6, d6, c5, Ne7, Be7. The most common respond of White to the Soerensen Defense is 4.exd5 (second less common is 4.Qxd4). Figure 1 and figure 2 represent the Danish Gambit and the Soerensen Defense:

  Figure 1. Danish Gambit       Figure 2. Soerensen Defense
Danish Gambit    Danish Gambit Declined Soerensen Defense
Moves to Memorize: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 d5
Chess Opening in Figure 1: Danish Gambit
Variation in Figure 2: Soerensen Defense of the Danish Gambit
Accepted/Declined: This is the Danish Gambit Declined (the main play to decline)
Code in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO): C21

Learn below proven lines of the Soerensen Defense of the Danish Gambit (How to Play). They were proved by an opening book, by the Danish Gambit master games, 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). -0.64 (Black is slightly better as if Black won 0.64 pawns). +0.42 (equal). ? weak move.

II. How to Play the Soerensen Defense


1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 d5

Chess masters play: 4.exd5 (80%)
Next common play: 4.Qxd4 (10%)
Played rarely: 4.e5, cxd4, Bd3, Qa4.


• Main Variants via 4.exd5 (80%)

Danish Gambit Soerensen Defense

Soerensen Defense of Danish Gambit
4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be2 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4 (+0.07)
4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bc4 dxc3 7.Nxc3 Bd6 8.Qe2+ Qe7 (+0.20)
4.exd5 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nf6 6.Nf3 7.Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 (+0.45)
Note. The proven lines show the main ideas and typical moves of the Soerensen.

• Variants via 4.Qxd4 (10%); 4.e5, cxd4

Danish Gambit Soerensen Defense

Soerensen Defense of Danish Gambit
4.Qxd4 dxe4 5.Qxe4+ Be7(Qe7) 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Qc2 0-0 (+0.12)
4.e5 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Bb4 6.Qa4+ Nc6 (-0.63)
4.cxd4 dxe4 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Bc4 Be7 (-0.73)
If 5... Bb4, then 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Nf6 (-0.35).

To the Main Page of the Danish Gambit | Lesson 26

On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com we learned the Soerensen Defense of the Danish Gambit (Accepted) 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 d5, ECO C21. It is a popular variation of the Danish Gambit and the main line to decline the Gambit. The most common respond of White to the Soerensen Defense is 4.exd5 (second less common is 4.Qxd4).

You should know that the word "Defense" in the name of a chess opening or variation (like "Soerensen Defense") is a good sign to include the opening (variation) to your chess opening repertoire for Black (strong defense) -- provided that the play is comfortable and results are good...