Chessy
Danish Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3)
White sacrifices two pawns in the opening to flood the board with pieces — and for a century it looked terrifying. Modern engines say Black holds with care, but most players never find the right defense. Try it for yourself below.
Play the Danish Gambit against the engine
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Create a free account →What the engine actually says
The point of 3.c3 is simple aggression: if Black takes on c3, White answers Bc4 and Nf3 with a full development lead and open lines toward the king. Stockfish at depth 16 rates this position −0.44 — nearly half a pawn in Black's favour. That's a genuine edge, not a rounding error. As opening choices go, White is handing material and asking the opponent to prove it.
Why White still cashes in at club level
Across 11.5 million Lichess games White scores 54.8% vs Black's 42.1%, a bigger gap than the engine suggests. The reason is practical: Black's best defence is the counterintuitive Qe7 (then ...Qxe4+ after 4.cxd4), which pins the centre pawn immediately. The two most popular responses — 3...dxc3 (scored against at 56.1% for White) and 3...Nc6 — both give White the initiative he paid for.
The engine's antidote: Qe7
Stockfish's best reply is 3...Qe7, not the pawn grab. The queen blocks the e-file cheaply, then ...Qxe4+ regains material with equality. The common alternatives cost real material:
- 3...Nc6 — inaccuracy, ~65 cp loss vs Qe7
- 3...Nf6 — inaccuracy, ~53 cp loss
- 3...d6 — mistake, over 100 cp loss
Take the pawns on your own terms with Qe7, not greedily.
If you want to play it as White
The Danish is a legitimate practical weapon at club level and in blitz — the positions are concrete, your opponent needs to know Qe7 precisely, and even a 3...dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 gives rich compensation. Just don't expect it to survive a prepared opponent; it's a surprise gambit, not a soundly-refuted-then-rehabilitated one.
Results across 11,491,859 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| dxc3 | 8,488,848 | 56.1% |
| Nc6 | 1,319,778 | 52.5% |
| d5 | 394,159 | 44.5% |
| Nf6 | 324,179 | 51.1% |
| d6 | 290,553 | 51.4% |
| c5 | 192,969 | 53.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Danish Gambit sound?
Not quite. Stockfish at depth 16 evaluates the position after 3.c3 at −0.44 (in Black's favour). It's a real practical weapon but objectively dubious — Black has a concrete refutation with 3...Qe7.
What is the best response to the Danish Gambit?
3...Qe7, according to Stockfish. The queen blocks the e-file and recaptures on e4 after 4.cxd4, neutralising White's initiative. The far more common 3...dxc3 gives White 56.1% across 8.5 million Lichess games.
Why does White score so well with the Danish despite it being dubious?
Very few players know the Qe7 defence. Across 11.5 million Lichess games White scores 54.8%, because the natural responses — 3...dxc3, 3...Nc6, 3...Nf6 — all hand White meaningful practical compensation.
Is the Danish Gambit good for attacking players?
Yes, as a practical choice at club level. You get open lines, developed pieces, and sharp tactics early. The engine disagrees at depth 16, but the scoreboard at Lichess backs you up until you meet well-prepared opponents.
How many games feature the Danish Gambit?
Over 11 million Lichess games have reached the Danish Gambit position. White wins 54.8%, Black wins 42.1%, with 3.1% draws — based on real rated games.