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Dominate with the Center Game and Danish Gambit
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Dominate with the Center Game and Danish Gambit

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ZanderVanHornRdrgz
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The Center Game

The Center Game begins after 1. e4 e5 2. d4

It is called the Center Game because you put two pawns in the center(duh). Your opponent has 2 responses: accepting or declining. If they decline the game usually transposes into another opening. For example if they decline with 2. ... Nc6, this is now the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation.

The response we play is the natural d5, kicking away their knight. If Nd4 play c3, winning the knight. If Nb4, f4(according to computers) and after they take Nf3. If Na5, do the same thing, except instead of Nf3 you play Bxf4. Nb8 is too passive so the only real move is Nce7.

After Nce7 play Nf3 attacking their e5 pawn. The only plausible way to defend is Ng6. That knight is awkward and has moved to many times in the opening. Play h4, preparing to kick it away and take on e5. The best response is h5 and now play Bg5.

Their only other way to decline is with d6. This has transposed to the Pirc Defense: Maróczy Variation. Best move is Nf3 and another transposition has happened. This is now called the Philidor Defense. The more simpler, but less advantageous approach is to trade pawns, then queens and attack f7.

f3 is the only way not to decline the center game. If f3, trade and if they recapture Qh5+! You will win.

The only real option is to accept it and take on d4 at the beginning.

The Mainline is to recapture with your queen(hence this variation being called the Normal Variation).  When they play Nc6, the best and basically only good move, we will bring the queen to e3. Our next moves are automatic, we will play Bd2, then Nc3.

If they push d5, in a position like the case above, trade pawns and move the queen to g3 attacking g7. If they trade knights after doing something like Bf6 to defend g7, take back with the bishop. This helps us as add pressure to g7.

If they don't trade, whatever, keep developing and play a solid game. Also, the reason we don't push e5 is because of Ng4 attacking the queen. If our queen is ever attacked move it to g3. They can't castle to defend g7 because of Bh6, which can be dangerous for black.

This opening can be draw-ish, with little advantage for white or even put them at a disadvantage(if we were to think of black's position as material it would be worth 0.1 pawns, so not advantageous by much). That being said this opening is very solid. If you would like a more aggressive version of the center game, I would recommend the Scotch Game. Luckily I have a blog on that which you should read right here.
The Danish Gambit
The Danish Gambit begins after 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
From here your opponent can decline or accept. If they accept with dxc3 you play Bc4, just giving another pawn. When they take with cxb2 play Bxb2. You have a huge lead in development and a good center. Also your bishops put pressure at your opponents kingside(which is where the opponent usually castles).
There are a few viable variations for black. The first one is the Copenhagen Defense, with Bb4+. Play Nc3 to block this check. If they trade their bishop recapture the only way you can. g7 is now hanging, you have the bishop pair and are more active. Your queen can also come to b3 to attack f7.
If they don't trade and instead play some other move like d6, we can play Qb3 again, attacking f7 and the bishop.
The best move for black after Nc3 is Nf6. This protects the indirect attack on g7 from your bishop and prepares to castle. Play Qb3 again forcing black to trade and lose the bishop pair with a double attack(on f7 and on b4). The queen should recapture.
If they take our e4-pawn, that's a blunder. We sacrifice the bishop with Bxf7+. If Kf8 10. Qxg7+ Ke7 11. Bc4+ Kd6 12. Qe5+ Kc6 13. Qd5+ Kc6 14 Qc5# is checkmate.
If Kxf7 then we have 10. Qxg7 Ke6 11. Qe5+ Kf7 12. Qxh8 it's not the best move but it is the simplest option(the computer recommends being in a much more complex line where we are down 4 points but have a strong attack on the king. Qxh8 is still winning for us).
If Ke7 10. Qxg7 Qf8 11. Qxh8 is the simplest line and results in a better position than in Kxf7.
If you plan to play the Danish Gambit often, you need to learn the Bxf7+ sacrifice. You can study it using Chess.com's analysis tool. The Nxe4 Bxf7+ line now being over, the better move was castling. This pins the knight but is the best move. We will play Nf3, castle and Rad1.
You threaten e5 and have better piece activity. If they play Re1 after castling, you castle queenside. If their rook takes Bxf7+ again. If their knight takes Qxg7# checkmate.
The next Defense is the Schlechter Defense, with d5. Take with the bishop. If they play c6, that's a blunder. Take with your bishop on f7. If king takes take their queen. If Ke7 play Ba3+ then take their queen.
If they know what they are doing they will play Nf3. Take on f7 again and when they take your bishop take their queen(if they play Ke7 play Ba3+ again). When they Play Bg4+ Play Qd2, then recapture with the knight.
The game is a draw if you know what you're doing. The last defense is the Classical Defense with Nf6.
Play e5. The only square for the knight is e5, as the queen takes every other space and g8 is too passive. After that take on f7 with your bishop. If king takes play Qf3+ winning the knight back.
If they play the best move Bb4+, block with your bishop(Bc3). After they trade recapture with the knight. They have a two good moves. d5 and Qe7. If they play Qe7 you will play Qe2. The knight has to retreat If they play Qe7 instead of Bb4+, do the same thing, Qe2 and after, Nc3, planning on playing Nd5.
You have a lead in development in both situations. If d5, trade pieces. And then capture on g7. If they take your queen recapture with your rook, this is advantageous for you after they save the rook because you play Nd5. If they play Rg8, play Qf3, don't trade queens yet. After Rxg7 play Nge2.
There is only one real way to decline the Danish Gambit. That is with d5. Before going over that, I'll go over unorthodox ways to decline the gambit. c5, might seem like a good way to decline, but it gives advantage back to white. We play Nf3. If they take you play standard moves. If they play Nc6, trading is the simplest option. Bc4 is best though.
The only other way is Qe7. Take the d4 pawn. When they take your e-pawn, block with Be3. If Nf6 or Bb4+, play Nc3. 
That's all for the Danish Gambit. If you like this gambit, try using computers to see the best moves in each line. Have fun with these openings and bye.