Take both pawns?

Hey guys. Just looking for some opinions on how to tackle the Danish gambit as black. I looked at my openings app a bit but I'd prefer hearing how other members deal with it. Pretty tempting to take both pawns but the two bishops pointing at the black kingside aren't too pretty, especially when you add Qb3 to the mix. Hard to castle as black as well. I usually take the first pawn but not the second, but my app said the majority take both pawns followed by d5. Thanks for any responses.

The Danish Gambit is certainly dangerous enough that it warrants some theory to be studied for it specifically if it is a possible option.  Luckily for black, you only need to memorize one line.  Whether it be the two pawns gambit or the endgame line, you can get to where you want to be.

Be it me, I believe in beating gambits through maximum violence.  I would not hesitate to go into the two pawn sack line for a second.  It is unsound and with proper preparation can give you an easy endgame victory.

The way to go about it may slightly change when going through the Scotch move order vs the center game move order, but you are still doing the idea of Bb4+, Nf6, 0-0 with both lines.  White does not usually play this past the lower class levels for a reason if not many.

Pfren has an excellent article covering the Center Game move order.

I agree. The gambit is unsound, and as long as you develop as much as possible afterwards you should be fine.

Thanks guys. I have a vague memory of black playing d5 on move 3, I think I saw it on a youtube video. Anyone have experience with that, just giving the pawn back?

Some possibilities if u want a safe fight against danish gambiters :

These variations lead to equal games but the more important is that u bring white's player into positions he didnt expect with this danish gambit.

I appreciate you taking the time to post those examples, IM poucin. Very helpful

I really like the first example. I got in a lot of trouble playing against the Danish gambit the other day. I took both pawns and then spent the entire opening and middle game on my heels. I won that game, but it wasn't fun and could've easily went the other way. These examples avoid all of that

Obviously White has some compensation for his two pawns in the Danish. If it was just a blunder, the move 5... d5 wouldn't be so popular.

Possibly helpful:

Starting Out: Open Games by GM Glenn Flear (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626232452/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen134.pdf
Beating the open games, Mihail Marin
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626195205/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen102.pdf

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/BTOG-Update.pdf
Open-Games-Black-Igor-Lysyj
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627104938/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen159.pdf
Play the Open Games as Black by John Emms
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627022601/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen11.txt
Bologan's Black Weapons in the Open Games
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Bologans-Black-Weapons-in-the-Open-Games-76p3873.htm
Play 1 e4 e5! by Nigel Davies (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626201436/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen80.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627083715/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen98.pdf
The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White by Larry Kaufman (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626221508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen162.pdf

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/955.pdf

A Vigorous Chess Opening Repertoire for Black by Or Cohen (2013)

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Vigorous-Chess-Opening-Repertoire-for-Black-A-76p3857.htm
Opening Repertoire: The Open Games with Black by Martin Lokander (2015)

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7546.pdf
Playing 1.e4 e5 - A Classical Repertoire by Nikolaos Ntirlis (2016)

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7572.pdf

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/Playing1e4e5-excerpt.pdf

Thanks, kindaspongey. Never heard of chess cafe before you posted it. Gonna check that out. 

"... at the Chess Cafe ... shop site, there is now a line that says 'Take advantage of our final sale prices now. The shop will be closing soon.' ..." - rcmacmillan (~18 months ago)

"... As far as I can tell, the Chesscafe site is only good for the archives, and the daily tactic... that's it. Too damn bad it's gone. IT was at one time one of the two best chess sites on the net." - rcmacmillan (~10 months ago)

I agree...

https://www.chess.com/article/view/danish-cracker

Actually white can limit his disadvantage at a minimum by 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Qb3! which seems best.

The article needs some revision- it was made several years ago.

I refer you to pfren's article, in which as long as both sides play well Black is better, but in most lines he has to give a pawn back, and in no line is White just down two pawns.

Ноги

Pfren, thanks for the Qb3 recommendation. I'll have to look into that. I'd hate to not see the Nge2 lines where black responds Nxe4 because those games are so easy to win but I'm definitely will consider it, having looked into your Danish Cracker line quite a bit.

As someone who plays this opening and has looked into many variations both from my own perspective and an engines, I think the following line deserves more attention. 5...Nc6 6. Nf3 Bb4+ 7Nc3 Nf6 8.Qc2 d6 9.0-0 but be very ready for 0-0-0. It may be even more likely than short castle, even though it's less sound, because of how dangerous it is. My plan when I do this usually revolves around h4 and Ng5. The Bb4+ line is quite good but you do have to be ready for Nc3, Nd2 and Kf1, so it takes way more effort than the Schlecter defense/early endgame line.

Being relatively new to chess, I am curious about the definition of some of the terms used to describe some openings, or positions reach during an opening.

Refuted: Seems to mean that there is a forced series of moves that results in the person playing the refuted side losing.

Unsound: Seems to imply that the person playing the unsound opening should lose.

Compensation: What you get when you give up material in a gambit.

There has be some discussion about if White has compensation for his two pawns in the Danish Gambit. It seems to me that after White's 5th move he has the following compensation: 1. A large lead in development, 2. Control over the center, 3. Open lines and diagonals.

For those saying that there is no compensation how do you define compensation?

Is the lack of compensation the same things as being unsound?

Is the soundness of an opening a function of the skill of the players? In one of the games posted by pfren a player rated above 2000 lost to a lower rated player who played the Danish Gambit.

In fact all of the games posted by pfren were won by White despite Black having played the recommended opening moves.

You're on the right track with the terminology, 1001smites. I'm at work and can't answer everything. Hopefully this will bump the thread and someone else will have time.