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The danish gambit

The danish gambit

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cg

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A player in my county (real life) has been giving me serious trouble (when he is white). Our games go: e4, e5...d4
so far i have tried taking the d pawn and following his c3 push have tried d5 and d6, both of which didnt work.
I dont want to try taking the free pawns because i know of the massive attacking chances he recieves
Maybe im just over reacting. For extra info, he is rated 1790 and i am 1105 so i might b acting out of intimidation (hopefully not) any help would be greatly thanked.

b

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Bruce Pandolfini has authored a very interesting, fun and useful book, "Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps." Or is it "Zaps and Traps"? In it he covers the various traps waiting for Black if he picks up those proffered pawns. Pandolfini does this for most of the major e4 opeinings. Very useful for Black and White. Somewhere I read that if Black plays d5 early on, that will take a lot of the zing out of White's attacking potential. Also, if Black can weather the initial storm, he will often prevail in the endgame due to his two extra pawns.

F
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London

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Originally posted by c guy1
A player in my county (real life) has been giving me serious trouble (when he is white). Our games go: e4, e5...d4
so far i have tried taking the d pawn and following his c3 push have tried d5 and d6, both of which didnt work.
I dont want to try taking the free pawns because i know of the massive attacking chances he recieves
Maybe im just over reacting. ...[text shortened]... 1105 so i might b acting out of intimidation (hopefully not) any help would be greatly thanked.
One of the best responses after 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 is d5.

After white has given away 2 pawns for the development of both bishops black immediatly tries to hand back one of the pawns in order to release the white bishop and the queen. White can play Bxd5 and then if 6...c6, white plays 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Ba3+ winning blacks queen. But if black plays 6...Nf6 the line continues 7. Bxf7 Kxf7 8. Qxd8 and it appears black has lost his queen again, but for 8...Bb4+. Discovered attack and white loses their queen. So after 9.Qd2 Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2 material is equal and although white has a slight positional advantage, black is certainly in a better position than he would have been otherwise.

g
Mad Murdock

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After 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
try 3. ...Qh4.

F
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London

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Originally posted by gambit05
After 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
try 3. ...Qh4.
Or even 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 Bb4. Threatening cxb2 + and winning the rook and promoting.

g
Mad Murdock

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Originally posted by Freddie2006
Or even 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 Bb4. Threatening cxb2 + and winning the rook and promoting.
Then 5. Bxf7+ might be quite dangerous.

F
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London

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Originally posted by gambit05
Then 5. Bxf7+ might be quite dangerous.
As far as I can tell that wins nothing for white. Black can still get his extra queen.

g
Mad Murdock

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Originally posted by Freddie2006
As far as I can tell that wins nothing for white. Black can still get his extra queen.
5. ...Kxf7 6. Qb3+ Ke8 7. Qxb4.

It's getting a bit more complicated when 5. ...Kf8:

6. Qb3, the sharp version or

6. bxc3/Nxc3 (the safe versions)

I would prefer white in this opening line.

cg

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thank you all, i now have some new stuff to try on him, if anyone else wants to keep posting ideas, ill keep coming back to check them.

thankz

G

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Originally posted by c guy1
A player in my county (real life) has been giving me serious trouble (when he is white). Our games go: e4, e5...d4
so far i have tried taking the d pawn and following his c3 push have tried d5 and d6, both of which didnt work.
I dont want to try taking the free pawns because i know of the massive attacking chances he recieves
Maybe im just over reacting. ...[text shortened]... 1105 so i might b acting out of intimidation (hopefully not) any help would be greatly thanked.
if he is 1700 and you are 1100 it doesnt matter what openings you play, none of them will work... I don't think you should worry too much about the opening, just practice your tactics and board vision.

G
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It may be a generalisation, but there is great trouble facing Black if he tries to hold on to both pawns. 5 ... d5 is Black's best reply. He keeps one of the pawns without too great a lag in development. Any other reply after 5 Bxb2 and I much prefer White's position - its like a drawn bow ready to strike.

Of course, d5 can be played earlier, but this is less effective because black doesn't get a chance to keep the extra pawn. On the other hand, white doesn't quite get that sharp attacking profile either.

I've played the Danish Gambit many times as white. Sadly, no-one has ever played it against me (probably because I almost never reply 1 ... e5). If they did, I would certainly take the pawns, and reply 5 ... d5. With sound defence, Black should comfortably hold off White's mid-game aggression and have good chances in the latter stages.

The Danish Gambit is one of my favourite openings, but not one I would risk playing against a strong opponent.

cg

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Originally posted by Gambitzoid
if he is 1700 and you are 1100 it doesnt matter what openings you play, none of them will work... I don't think you should worry too much about the opening, just practice your tactics and board vision.
Im not trying to beat him with an opening, im just trying to stay equal, maybe a pawn or two ahead if i get lucky

cg

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Im guessing that all the opening gurus have spoken, and that i will get no more adive...o well...i personally really like the:
e4--e5
d4-exd4
c3--dxc3
Bc4--cxb2
Bxb2--d5
XX--Nf6 idea that was mentioned...il try it

e

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Originally posted by c guy1
Im guessing that all the opening gurus have spoken, and that i will get no more adive...o well...i personally really like the:
e4--e5
d4-exd4
c3--dxc3
Bc4--cxb2
Bxb2--d5
XX--Nf6 idea that was mentioned...il try it
If you take the c3 pawn, he will take with his knight and have a more active setup. He would not go Bc4, that's a bad move.

You really shouldn't take on c3, it gives him a big lead in development. That is sufficient compensation. His whole plan is to kill you quickly with tactics, something he can do due to superior development and probably skill. He is playing his strength.

I recommend d5 instead of dxc.

T

Somewhere out there!

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if he allways likes to sac against you you could play
e4 c5?!
because
d4 exd4
c3 dxc3
Bc4 e6
is a lot less dangerous then when your e pawn is gone 😉

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