How to handle the Danish and Goring Gambits with one easy line
If you're reading this blog and play 1.e4 e5, chances are overwhelmingly likely that you've faced 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 on more than one occasion. On 3...dxc3, White might play 4.Nxc3 - the Goring Gambit - or 4.Bc4 - the Danish Gambit. Neither possibility should chase Black away from 1...e5, but they can be annoying.
Fortunately, Black has a very simple, straightforward path to equality starting on move 3: 3...d5!, and after 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Nc3 (or 7.Be2 Bb4+ 8.Nc3, transposing) Bb4 8.Be2 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4. White's score in this position, which occurs 295 times in Mega 2006, is a dismal 40% (+46 - 104 = 145). White has two main tries here, 10.Qb3 and 10.Bxc6, with the latter the more serious move. After 10.Qb3, Black is fine after 10...Qxb3 11.axb3 Nge7 12.Be3 O-O-O 13.O-O a6, when White's poor pawn structure is counterbalanced by the bishop pair - especially the Bf3.
So let's turn to the main line: 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Qe2+ Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Ne7. Black is fine here, too, and again we have a position where the better player will win - but Black doesn't have to worry that he'll be on the receiving end of an attacking massacre. For those of you who like your opening sidelines to be "wash and wear", this might be all the information you desire, the end of the investigation. But for others, this can be the beginning. For those who fall into the second category, I recommend Karsten Müller's current Chess Cafe column, in which this ending is explored further. It's worth a look for endgame fans, and if you play this line with White, it's nearly a must.
Fortunately, Black has a very simple, straightforward path to equality starting on move 3: 3...d5!, and after 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Nc3 (or 7.Be2 Bb4+ 8.Nc3, transposing) Bb4 8.Be2 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4. White's score in this position, which occurs 295 times in Mega 2006, is a dismal 40% (+46 - 104 = 145). White has two main tries here, 10.Qb3 and 10.Bxc6, with the latter the more serious move. After 10.Qb3, Black is fine after 10...Qxb3 11.axb3 Nge7 12.Be3 O-O-O 13.O-O a6, when White's poor pawn structure is counterbalanced by the bishop pair - especially the Bf3.
So let's turn to the main line: 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Qe2+ Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Ne7. Black is fine here, too, and again we have a position where the better player will win - but Black doesn't have to worry that he'll be on the receiving end of an attacking massacre. For those of you who like your opening sidelines to be "wash and wear", this might be all the information you desire, the end of the investigation. But for others, this can be the beginning. For those who fall into the second category, I recommend Karsten Müller's current Chess Cafe column, in which this ending is explored further. It's worth a look for endgame fans, and if you play this line with White, it's nearly a must.
Related Posts (on one page):
- The Readers Write: Two Perspectives on the Capablanca Defense to the Goring and Danish Gambits
- On M. Nieuweboer on the Goring and Danish Gambits
- How to handle the Danish and Goring Gambits with one easy line
Posted by Dennis Monokroussos on
Wednesday April 19, 2006 at 1:50am
On a similar subject, you have in the past talked about not playing trappy cheap openings. I played a couple of games against the Caro-Kann. The first I just plodded along with regular development and didn't lose until I blundered late. The next time we played, instead of 4.Nxe4, I tried 4.f3, sort of a reverse Morra Gambit. I had a really good attack but missed mate and eventually lost. After becoming friends with Pawntificator, he told me that I played the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (by transposition, I guess). Is this a cheap opening that I should avoid and learn to play classical Caro-Kann? Is it a decent opening for club players hoping to become decent chess player(decent=1800-2000)?
Steve
The good news is, that there is a more promising and even easier variation. It also has the virtue of being rather unknown. Danish Dynamite only spends about half a page on it. It is 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Ne7!? 4.cxd4 d5 or 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 Nge7!? 5.cxd4/5.Bc4 d5. Black will be happy with x.exd5 Nxd5 and does not have to fear the advance e4-e5 either.