Danish Gambit

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black replies e5.
3. d4d4! The Danish begins. White offers the d-pawn immediately.
4. exd4Black takes — declining leaves White with a free centre.
5. c3c3! The second offer. White wants the c-pawn gone so the b2 bishop gets the long diagonal.
6. dxc3Black takes again, and is now two pawns up.
7. Bc4Bc4! White ignores the pawn on c3 entirely and develops with tempo towards f7.
8. cxb2cxb2 — Black takes a third pawn. Greedy, and exactly what White wants.
9. Bxb2Bxb2! Now the picture is clear: two bishops on the two longest diagonals, aiming straight at Black's king, in exchange for two pawns.
10. d5d5! The correct antidote, and the move that saves Black. Rather than clinging to material, Black gives a pawn back to blunt the c4 bishop and open lines for their own pieces.
11. Bxd5White takes on d5, keeping the pressure on f7.
12. Nf6Black develops Nf6, hitting the bishop and getting on with life. Stockfish reads about +0.2 — the gambit is sound but not more than that, provided Black knows ...d5.

The Göring Gambit — the respectable relative. White recaptures on c3 with the knight instead of offering a second pawn, settling for one pawn's worth of investment and a big lead in development. Far less risky than the full Danish, and Stockfish reads about -0.25, meaning Black must still play accurately to claim anything.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. d4d4 opens the centre.
4. exd4Black takes on d4.
5. c3c3 offers the pawn.
6. dxc3Black accepts.
7. Nxc3Nxc3! The Göring. Instead of feeding a second pawn to the b2 bishop, White simply recaptures and develops a piece with tempo.
8. Nc6Nc6 develops and covers d4 and e5.
9. Bc4Bc4 puts the bishop on the critical diagonal.
10. d6d6 gives Black a solid, compact structure and opens the c8 bishop.
11. Nf3Nf3 completes the minor-piece development.
12. Nf6Nf6 develops and hits e4. A genuinely reasonable gambit — the engine reads about -0.25.

The principled way to decline: instead of grabbing on c3, Black hits back in the centre with 3...d5. Material comes off, the position simplifies, and White's attacking dreams evaporate. Stockfish reads dead level at about -0.1. If you face the Danish and do not want to memorise anything, this is the line to know.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. d4d4 — the Danish begins.
4. exd4Black takes on d4.
5. c3c3 offers the second pawn.
6. d5d5! The principled decline. Instead of taking, Black strikes in the centre and refuses to fall behind in development.
7. exd5White captures on d5.
8. Qxd5Black recaptures with the queen, which stands well in the centre for now.
9. cxd4cxd4 regains the pawn and gives White an isolated d-pawn.
10. Nc6Nc6 develops and attacks d4 immediately.
11. Nf3Nf3 defends the pawn.
12. Bg4Bg4 pins the knight and keeps the pressure on d4. Completely equal — the engine reads about -0.1.

The Copenhagen Defense. Black takes everything but then plays the accurate 5...Bb4+, and the check is the key: White essentially has to block with Nc3, which shuts down the b2 bishop's diagonal exactly when it mattered most. This is the practical refutation — Stockfish reads about -0.4 for White.

1. e4White plays e4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. d4d4 offers the first pawn.
4. exd4Black takes.
5. c3c3 offers the second.
6. dxc3Black takes again.
7. Bc4Bc4 develops towards f7.
8. cxb2cxb2 — the third pawn goes.
9. Bxb2Bxb2 and White has the famous two-bishop battery aimed at Black's king.
10. Bb4+Bb4+! The Copenhagen. This check is the whole defence: it forces White to block on c3.
11. Nc3Nc3 is essentially forced — and it blocks the b2 bishop's diagonal at the worst possible moment.
12. Nf6Nf6 develops and hits e4. Black keeps an extra pawn with a solid position: the engine reads about -0.4 for White.