1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
Shown from White's side. ECO C21.
Opening guide · an opening for White
Danish Gambit
The Danish Gambit starts 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3. White offers one pawn, and after 3...dxc3 4. Bc4 often a second, to get both bishops aimed at Black's kingside with a big lead in development. Black can accept and defend carefully, or give material back with a timely ...d5.
- Games in our sample
- 10,355
- White wins
- 53.9%
- Draws
- 3.5%
- Black wins
- 42.7%
How the Danish Gambit scores at each rating
Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.
| Rating | Games | Share | White wins | Draws | Black wins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| under 1000 | 284 | 0.1% | 49.3% | 3.5% | 47.2% | |
| 1000 to 1199 | 736 | 0.2% | 51.0% | 3.1% | 45.9% | |
| 1200 to 1399 | 1,639 | 0.3% | 55.3% | 2.2% | 42.5% | |
| 1400 to 1599 | 2,445 | 0.4% | 54.2% | 3.6% | 42.3% | |
| 1600 to 1799 | 2,626 | 0.4% | 56.5% | 2.9% | 40.6% | |
| 1800 to 1999 | 1,791 | 0.3% | 53.8% | 4.4% | 41.8% | |
| 2000 to 2199 | 694 | 0.3% | 48.1% | 5.0% | 46.8% | |
| 2200 and over | 140 | 0.1% | 35.0% | 10.0% | 55.0% | |
| All ratings | 10,355 | 0.3% | 53.9% | 3.5% | 42.7% |
Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).
Main lines
The named lines of the Danish Gambit that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.
Danish Gambit Accepted
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3
5,932 games · White 55.4% · draws 3.2% · Black 41.5%
Analyse this positionSörensen Defense
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 d5
717 games · White 43.4% · draws 4.7% · Black 51.9%
Analyse this positionCopenhagen Defense
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 Bb4+
708 games · White 56.8% · draws 3.2% · Black 40.0%
Analyse this positionClassical Defense
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 Nf6
524 games · White 59.4% · draws 2.7% · Black 38.0%
Analyse this position
Ideas for White
- After 3...dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 both bishops rake the kingside.
Ideas for Black
- Returning a pawn with ...d5 frees your game and blunts the bishop on c4.
- 3...d5 declines the gambit and is a simple, sound reply.
Questions
- What are the moves of the Danish Gambit?
- 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3. In the ECO classification it is filed under C21.
- How does the Danish Gambit score?
- In 10,355 games with it in our sample, White won 53.9%, 3.5% were drawn and Black won 42.7%.
- At which ratings is the Danish Gambit played most?
- Among players rated 1400 to 1599 it is 0.4% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.1%, is among players rated under 1000.
- Which line of the Danish Gambit is played most?
- Danish Gambit Accepted (1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3), with 5,932 games in our sample.