Danish Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 · C21
Starting positionWhite to move
0 / 12
Two bishops on their best diagonals
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
The idea
White offers two pawns for two raking bishops and a lead in development — the purest expression of 19th-century gambit play.
Main line: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 d5 6.Bxd5 Nf6
What White wants
- Sacrifice on c3 and b2 and develop both bishops to c4 and b2
- Attack f7 and the light squares before Black consolidates
- Keep the initiative — two pawns is a lot to be down
What Black wants
- Return material to complete development
- Play ...d5 to blunt the c4 bishop, then ...Nf6 and ...Be7
- Survive the attack and win with the extra pawns
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
Two bishops on their best diagonals
After Bxb2 the bishops on c4 and b2 aim along the a2–g8 and a1–h8 diagonals before Black has developed a piece. That activity compensates for two sacrificed pawns, but the central ...d5 break can blunt the attack by returning material and clearing lines for Black.
Common mistake
Assuming the bishops guarantee a winning attack. Black can return a pawn with ...d5 and develop with tempo; White must calculate that defence and bring out the knights rather than keep sacrificing solely because the diagonals look promising.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3B4/4P3/8/PB3PPP/RN1QK1NR w KQkq - 1 7
Analyze this positionTraps in this opening
Moves in this opening that look natural and lose.
All opening traps