Play the Danish Gambit?!

 

     Once upon a time it was considered ungentlemanly and cowardly to decline a gambit. In those days time and space were given top rating and even strong masters had not yet mastered the art of sound defense. During this profligate era, the Danish Gambit, where white sacrifices two Pawns in return for rapid development, was born. 

     According to historian H. J. R. Murray the gambit was played by a Danish lawyer in the 1830s and it was well known in Scandinavian countries before Tassilo, Baron von Heydebrand und der Lasa, the Prussian Ambassador in Copenhagen, introduced it around 1867. 

     Times have changed and today it's generally considered foolhardy to decline a real gambit. The gambiteer is handicapped and under constant pressure to convert intangible assets into something real...a task that is often met with failure. Nevertheless, control of the center and two powerful Bishops, exercising their force on their diagonals can be an inducement to risk the Danish, especially against a squeamish opponent. 

     Generally the Danish leads to exciting play where the attacker always enjoys the game...at least during the early stages. But, against accurate defense the attack fizzles out and the defender reaps his material reward. 

     The final conclusion: the Danish has been relegated to use by the abecedarian who cares little about book play or exactitude because the Danish appears to be refuted. 

     My database shows white scores +127 -124 =71, but only about 45 of those games had at least one player rated above 2200. Clearly it's an amateur's opening and when they venture the gambit anything can happen. Thus, for the enterprising risk taker, playing the Danish is worth a shot! 

     Held from March 23-April 17, 1908, the tournament in Vienna and the Prague (1908) event in May-June were jubilee tournaments commemorating the 60th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph. They were probably the two most important tournaments of the year, with player lists that included many of the top players of the time. 

     At Vienna, Schlechter and Rubinstein started with four straight wins, but Rubinstein's loss in round 5 left him out of the race. Maroczy and Duras joined Schlechter in the top group, and though both fell behind in the course of events they were able to finish strong and make up ground on Schlechter. 

     In the following game from the Vienna tournament the fortunes of the players waxes and wanes as both players repeatedly miss the best moves, but that's what makes the game exciting.

Jacques Mieses - Johann Berger

Result: 0-1

Site: Vienna

Date: 1908

Danish Gambit

[...] 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 The exchange of Ps is the simplest and most effective way for Black to continue. Playing 2...Nc6 can be tricky as white has a choice between 3.d5, 3.Nf3 and 3.dxe5 3.c3 3.Qxd4 is the antiquated Center Game which fails to give white any advantage because black gains time for development. 3...dxc3 This follows the principle of take lirst and look later, but there is no other move that is apt to produce an advantage. Black, moreover, must do something about White's threat to play 4.cxd4 and regain his P and establishing a strong P center. An alternative for Black is 3...d5

3...d5 This leads to lively play. 4.exd5 ♕xd5 5.cxd4 ♘c6 6.♘f3 ♗g4 7.♗e2 O-O-O with equal chances.

4.♗c4 This move aims at black's most vulnerable square, f7. One of white's ideas is to concentrate enough pressure on that square, during the in order to make it difficult for the defender. In this position, however, Alekhine recommended 4.Nxc3, which he felt also lead to a good game for black. However, the spirit of the gambit dictates the text move and the sacrifice of a second P with the object of gaining time and space in return for the material.

4.♘xc3 ♗b4 5.♗c4 d6 6.♘f3 ♗xc3+ 7.bxc3 ♘c6 8.O-O ♘f6 9.♗a3 Here black should play 9...Bg4 and then exchange ...Bxf3. 9...O-O 10.e5 ♘g4 11.exd6 cxd6 12.♗xd6 ♖e8 13.♖e1 ♗f5 14.♗xf7+ ♔xf7 15.♕d5+ ♔f6 16.h3 ♗e6 17.♕d2 ♘h6 18.g4 g6 19.g5+ ♔f7 20.gxh6 ♕f6 21.♘g5+ ♔g8 22.f4 ♖ad8 23.♖ad1 ♗c4 24.♗e7 ♖xd2 25.♗xf6 ♖xe1+ 26.♖xe1 ♗f7 27.♘e4 ♖xa2 28.♗g7 ♗b3 29.♘f6+ ♔f7 30.♘xh7 Black resigned. Alekhine,A-Isakov,D/Moscow 1919

4...cxb2 5.♗xb2 d6 Better was 5...Bb4+

5...♗b4+ 6.♘c3 ♘f6 7.♘ge2 O-O 8.O-O ♘c6 Better was 8...d6 9.♘d5 ♘xe4 Losing. Either 9...Be7 or 9...Nxd5 kept things equal. 10.♘d4 ♘d2 11.♘f5 ♕g5 12.♗d3 ♘e7 13.♘fxe7+ ♗xe7 14.♘xe7+ ♕xe7 15.♕xd2 1-0 Capablanca,J-Aalhuizen,P/Rotterdam 1911

6.♕b3 ♕d7 7.♘c3 ♘c6 8.♘d5 ♘a5 9.♕g3 f6 After this white should have gotten the upper hand.

9...♘xc4 keeps the chances equal after 10.♗xg7 ♕g4 11.♕xg4 ♗xg4 12.♗xh8 O-O-O with spirited play.

10.♗b5 This hands over the advantage to black.

10.♗e2 was correct as Mieses had played against Marshall back in 1902! 10...c6 11.♘f4 ♘h6 12.♕c3 b6 13.♘f3 ♗e7 14.♘d4 O-O 15.♘de6 ♖e8 16.♗h5 ♗f8 17.♗xe8 ♕xe8 18.♘xf8 ♕xe4+ 19.♘e2 ♗a6 20.O-O-O ♗xe2 21.♖d4 ♕xg2 22.♖e1 ♖xf8 23.♖xe2 d5 24.♕e3 ♘c4 and Marshall soon resigned. Mieses,J-Marshall,F/Hannover 1902

10...c6 Of course black wasn't going to take the B and lose his Q to 11.Nc7+ 11.♗c3 This only makes matters worse for white.

11.♖c1 was his best chance. Then after 11...♘e7 12.♗a4 b5 13.♘xe7 ♕xe7 14.♗c2 But even here black stands well.

11...♘e7 Missing his chance to practically win the game! (11...♕d8 12.♗a4 b5 snags the piece after 13.♗c2 cxd5) 12.♗xa5 ♘xd5 With this move black keeps the advantage. (12...cxb5 13.♘c7+ ♔f7 14.♘xa8 is winning for white.) 13.exd5 cxb5 14.♘e2 ♕f7 After this black loses his advantage.

14...b6 15.♗d2 ♗b7 16.♕f3 ♗e7 17.♘f4 O-O and black has a solid position plus a material advantage.

15.♕d3 Another poor move that allows the advantage to swing back to black. White should have castled with equal chances. 15...b6 16.♗b4 a5 17.♗a3 With this move white's position becomes critical.

17.♗d2 b4 18.O-O ♗e7 19.♖fc1 and white's position is not a pleasant one.

17.♕e3+ ♕e7 18.♕xb6 White gets a P, but it's only temporary as after 18...♔f7 (18...axb4 19.♕c6+ ♔f7 20.♕xa8) 19.♗xa5 ♖a6 20.♕b8 ♕b7 21.♕xb7+ ♗xb7 22.♗b4 ♗xd5 black has a won ending.

17...b4 18.♕c4

18.♗b2 doesn't change anything. 18...♗a6 19.♕d2 ♗e7 20.O-O O-O White's position is a losing one.

18...♗b7 (18...bxa3 19.♕c6+ picks off the R.) 19.♘f4 ♖c8 20.♕d4 ♕d7 This is OK, but now there was no reason not to take the B. (20...bxa3 21.♕xb6 ♕e7+ winning) 21.♗b2 ♔f7 Yet another very poor move!

21...♕b5 keeps white's K in the center. 22.♔d2 So as to connect the Rs. 22...♗e7 23.♖ac1 O-O And blac, two Ps up, should have no trouble securing the point.

22.O-O ♗e7 23.♘e6 This only looks good on the surface, but a closer examination shows it to be flawed.

23.♖fe1 This move equalizes. 23...♕f5 (23...♖c5 24.♕e4 and white is still kicking.) 24.♖e4 ♖he8 25.♕d3 Threatening to take the B with check and win black's Q. 25...g6 26.f3 The chances are even.

23...♕b5 This attacks the d-Pawn, but it's the wrong piece to do it with.

23...♖c5 and black can look forward to a comfortable game after 24.♕g4 g6 25.♘g5+ ♔e8 26.♕e2 ♗xd5

24.♕g4 g6 25.♘g5+ Yet another weak move as the sacrifice accomplishes nothing except to lose a piece.

25.♖fe1 was natural. After 25...♕xd5 26.♕h3 ♕xg2+

26...♖c2 This demonstrates the threat black is facing. 27.♘d8+ forces black to accept the draw by repeating moves because after 27...♔e8 28.♗xf6 ♔xd8 29.♖xe7 it's white who is winning.

27.♕xg2 ♗xg2 28.♔xg2 ♖he8 with an unclear position.

25.♖fe1 ♕xd5 26.♕h3 h6 is another good way that black can keep the chances equal (instead of capturing on g2). 27.♖ad1 ♕f5 28.♕xf5 loses to 28...gxf5 and black's extra Ps assure the win.

25...♔e8 Black falls for white's bluff and loses instantly!

25...fxg5 26.♕e6+ ♔e8 27.♗xh8 ♕xd5 Threatening mat on g2 and white cannot afford to trade Qs, so... 28.♕h3

28.♕xd5 ♗xd5 with a won ending. For example, here is the results of a Shootout with Stockfish at 17 plies. 29.♖fc1 ♖xc1+ 30.♖xc1 ♔d7 31.♖a1 ♗c4 32.♗d4 ♗d8 33.f3 ♔c6 34.♔f2 a4 35.♔e3 a3 36.f4 ♔b5 37.g4 gxf4+ 38.♔xf4 g5+ 39.♔e3 ♔a4 40.♔d2 b5 41.♔c1 b3

28...g4 29.♕xh7

26.♗xf6 This keen tactical blow puts an end to the game. 26...♕xd5 (26...♗xf6 27.♕e6+ ♗e7 28.♖fe1 ♕d7 29.♕f7+ ♔d8 30.♘e6+ wins) 27.♖fe1 ♖c7 28.♗xh8 h5 29.♕g3 h4 30.♕g4 ♖c4 (30...♕f5 does not solve anything 31.♕xf5 gxf5 32.♗f6) 31.f4 Being a R down and his phalanx of Ps useless, black resigned.

31.f4 The conclusion might be 31...♖c2 32.♖xe7+ ♔xe7 33.♖e1+ The rest of the game is a King hunt. 33...♔d8 34.♘e6+ ♔c8 35.♘d4+ ♔b8 36.♘xc2 ♕xa2 37.♕xg6 ♔a7 38.♘xb4 ♕b3 39.♘d3 h3 40.gxh3 ♗c6 41.h4 ♗b5 42.♕xd6 ♗xd3 43.♗d4 a4 44.♕d7+ ♔a6 45.♕d8 ♔a5 46.♖e5+ ♗b5 47.♕xb6+ ♔b4 48.♕xb5+ ♔a3 49.♕c5+ ♔a2 50.♖e2+ ♔b1 51.♖e1+ ♕d1 52.♖xd1+ ♔a2 53.♕c4+ ♔a3 54.♖a1#

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