Danish Gambit - In-between Check 5...Bb4+

Block with Nc3, castle and free the knight from the pin before attacking.

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Ne2 O-O 8.O-O

Move by move

1.e4 – White occupies the centre and frees the queen and the f1-bishop. In the Danish and the Centre Game, speed of development will matter more than pawns.
1...e5 – Black replies symmetrically, contesting d4 and freeing the f8-bishop. Now White can open the game at once with d4.
2.d4 – White attacks e5 and opens the centre. After 2...exd4 White chooses between the gambit 3.c3 (Danish) and the immediate recapture 3.Qxd4 (Centre Game).
2...exd4 – Black captures: the most natural reply, since defending e5 with 2...d6 leads to a passive game. The d4-pawn becomes either bait or a target to win back.
3.c3 – Danish Gambit: White offers a pawn to open files and diagonals. After 3...dxc3 a piece recaptures with development; if Black declines, cxd4 builds the ideal e4-d4 centre.
3...dxc3 – Black accepts the gambit. White now chooses: 4.Nxc3 plays just one pawn down, while 4.Bc4 offers the b2-pawn as well.
4.Bc4 – White leaves the c3-pawn and develops the bishop against f7, Black's weakest point. After 4...cxb2 the other bishop also joins the game by recapturing on b2.
4...cxb2 – Black takes the second pawn. In return White gets two bishops aimed at f7 and g7 and a big lead in development: every tempo Black wastes can become decisive.
5.Bxb2 – The typical Danish position: two pawns down, but the bishops on c4 and b2 hit f7 and g7 while Black has developed nothing. White aims for Nc3, Nf3, O-O and opening the game.
5...Bb4+ – Black develops with check and prepares ...Nf6. The bishop will pin whatever blocks on c3, making the e4-pawn more vulnerable.
6.Nc3 – White blocks by developing the knight, the most active choice. The knight is pinned but defended by the b2-bishop; Ne2 and O-O will free it.
6...Nf6 – Black attacks e4: with the c3-knight pinned to the king, the pawn is only defended on paper and ...Nxe4 becomes a threat.
7.Ne2 – The knight defends c3 and prepares castling, which will break the pin. If 7...Nxe4, 8.O-O gives White open lines against the black king still in the centre.
7...O-O – Black tucks the king away before touching e4. The idea ...Bxc3 followed by ...Nxe4 is still in the air.
8.O-O – By castling White frees the c3-knight from the pin and defends e4 again. With Nd5, e4-e5 or Qb3 White will try to reopen the diagonal against g7 and the f7-point.

How to exploit the position

White is two pawns down but has castled and developed almost everything; Black has castled too and is solid, with the b4-bishop pressing on c3 and e4.

Nd5: the knight hits the b4-bishop and the f6-knight; after an exchange on f6 the b2-bishop strikes g7 directly.
Qb3 or Qc2: the queen joins the pressure on f7 and protects the centre.
e4-e5: kicks the f6-knight away from defending the king and gains space.
Watch out for ...Bxc3 followed by ...Nxe4: recapture on c3 with the e2-knight so that e4 stays defended.

Master tips

Recapture on c3 with the knight

When Black trades the b4-bishop on c3, the right recapture is the one that keeps defending e4.