1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3
1. Introduction
The game starts as a Centre Game (1.e4 e5 2.d4). Normally after 2...exd4 white takes the pawn back with 3.Qxd4, but not now. With 3.c3 we're entering the Danish Gambit (also known as the Nordic Gambit). White waives the right to recover the pawn and instead white offers another pawn for the take. That's the fun part of this gambit. In this gambit white sacrifices one or two pawns for a rapid development and attack. After black decides to play 3...dxc3, white plays 4.Bc4 after which the game can continue with 4...cxb2 5.Bxb2.
2. Game analysis
Date: 2012.02.13
White: BigGStikman
Black: DreamingVoid
WhiteElo: 1968
BlackElo: 1903
TimeControl: 1 in 7 daysThe Danish Gambit (C21).
3...dxc3 4.Bc4 Qf6
I was hoping that black would take on b2, but unfortunately my opponent didn't. I don't think blacks Queenmove was the best continuation; the Queen is hindering the development of blacks Knight on g8. Moves as 4...d5, 4...Bb4 or 4...Nf6 are looking better in my opinion.
5.Nxc3 Bb4
Black is pinning and attacking the white Knight on c3.
6.Nge2
I don't know if 6.Bd2 is better, but I like Nge2 better; preparing the castle and getting my king safe.
6...Nc6
An alternative is 6.Ne7.
I wanted to prevent that black's Bishop could go to the square c5 and taking control over the diagonal a7-g2; that could be inconvenient as I was planning to play f4 in one of my next moves. But perhaps white could do better by playing 8.Nb5 Ba5 9.Bd2 a6 10.Bxa5 axb5 11.Bc3 Qg5.
8...a6
An alternative is: 8...0-0.
9.f4
Better is first 9.Qb3 and then 10.f4. Or perhaps 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Nxc3 0-0 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Ne5 13.Bd4.
Better was 9...0-0 10.e5 Qh6 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 d6 or 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Nxc3 d6 12.Qh5 Be6 13.Bd3.
10.a3
At this point white had to play 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 b5 12.dxc6 bxc5 13.a3 Ba5 14.Bd4. Now black gets the chance to trade his dark squared Bishop with the white knight on c3. And after black castles he is relatively safe.
10...Ba5
Not a good move! After 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.e5 Qg6 (Not 13...dxe5 14.fxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxf7+ Kf8 16.Bg6+ Bf5 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Qd7! and white is clearly better) 14.exd6 Nf5 15.Re1 0-0 16.Bd3 (Not 16.d7 Ne3!) Qxd6 17.Bxf5 Qxd1 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 21.Raxd1 and white is slighly better.
11.Nd5
Not good; whites had to play 11.b4 as pointed out earlier.
11...Nxd5 12.exd5 Ne7
Not good! Black had to play 12...b5. Now white gets the advantage in the game.
Better is 15.Nc3 0-0 16.Qxc7 Bf5 17.Qxc4 Qg6 18.Rfe1.
15...Qg6
Not good. Better is 15...Qf5 16.Rad1 Qxd5 17.Qxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxg7 Rg8 19.Rxd5 Rxg8.
16.Qxc7 Bg4
Not good. Better is 16...Qf5 17.Qxd6 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxg7 Rg8 20.Bd4.
17.Qxc4
Not good! Is releases the pressure on the black Knight on e7; now black can castle. After 17.Ng3 has black problems to connect his pieces to work together: 17...Rc8 18.Qb7 f6 19.f5 Qf7 20.Rae1 Rd8 21.Bb6 or 17...Rd8 18.f5 Qh6 19.Rae1 and black is in big trouble! Another possiblity is 17.f5 Qg5 18.f6 gxf6 19.Nc3 Bh3 20.Rf2 Rc8 21.Qxd6 Rd8 22.Qxa6 0-0 23.Bxf6. And again black has big problems!
17...O-O 18.f5
One move too late!
18...Bxf5
Probably 18...Nxf5 is slightly better.
The point of 18.f5, making square f4 free for the Knight.
19...Qg4
19...Qg5 is probably somewhat better.
20.Rf3
Bringing the Rook in the attack and the hunt for the black Queen.
20...Ng6
An alternative is 20.Rac8.
The start of a nice combination!
21...Kxg7
Not good! White can bring now a nice combination on the board. Better was 21...Rfe8 or 21...Rfc8.
22.Rg3 Qh4 23.Rxg6+ hxg6 24.Ne6+ fxe6 25.Qxh4 Rf7
Better is 25...exd5.
26.dxe6
Better is 26.g4 Be4 27.dxe6.
At this point is white better.
28...Bf5 29.Rf1 Rd7 30.Qc5 Rad8 31.Qc4
Attacking the pawn on a6 and provoking black to play Bd3, attacking whites Queen and Rook at the same time. But white has a trick up his sleeve.
Black took the bait. Better is Rd6.
32.Rf7+ Rxf7
Better is 32...Kg8 (Not 32...Kh8 33.Qh4+ Kg8 34.Qh7# or 32...Kh6 33.Qh4#) 33.Rxd7+ Bxc4 34.Rxd8+.
Game over!
36...Kxg4 37.Qxd8 Bf5 38.Qd4+ Kg5 39.Qe3+ Kf6 40.Qb6+ Kg5 41.Qxa6 Kh4 42.b4 Kg4 43.Qd6 Kg5 44.Qe5 Kg4 45.Qg3+ Kh5 46.h4 Kh6 47.Qg5+ Kh7 48.h5 Kg7 49.b5 Kh7 50.Qe7+ Kh6 51.hxg6 Kxg6 52.b6 Bg4 53.b7 Kf5 54.b8=Q Kg6 55.Qbf8
Finally black resigned.
1-0
3 Summery
A nice victory after 448 days (the game went on too long, but that was black's choice)! A nice success for the Danish Gambit. One of my first attemps with this gambit.