This game was played in a simultaneous exhibition given by Arnold Denker in Detroit, Michigan, in the year 1945.
1.e4
e5
2.d4
exd4
3.c3
Is it possible? A Danish Gambit in the mid-twentieth century?
3...dxc3
4.Bc4
cxb2
5.Bxb2
It is, my friends. This is the classic Danish position: White with a ridiculous lead in development, Black with a ridiculous lead in material. Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a bumpy ride!
5...Bb4+
6.Kf1
Nf6
7.e5
Ng8
Black doesn't want his Knight to be a target in the center, so he hops back to his home square. However, this doesn't help his piece activity any.
8.Qg4
Hitting the soft spot at g7.
8...Bf8
Drop a pawn on e7, and Black is all set up for the next game!
9.Qf3
Threatening mate.
9...Nh6
Black would love to play Nf6, only there's a little problem on e5 stopping that.
10.Nc3
Be7
Finally, Black's got a couple pieces off the back rank.
11.Nd5
0-0
12.Nf6+!?
A speculative sacrifice that leads to tremendous complications.
12...Kh8!
Black wisely shies away from the piece. 12...gxf6?
looks very bad for Black, e.g. 13.exf6
Bd6
Necessary to stop the Queen check on g3. 14.Qh5!
Bf4
15.Nh3!
d5
16.Nxf4
Black must now lose material in order to stop mate with Qg5+ and Qg7#. 16...Nf5
17.Bd3
Kh8
18.Bxf5
and Black is a piece down with the White pieces clawing at his throat.
13.Nh3?
White slips. 13.Qe4!
Bxf6
14.exf6
g6
15.Nf3
And White still has a strong attack for the sacrificed pawns.
13...Bxf6?
Black returns the favor. 13...d6!
14.exd6
Bxf6
15.Bxf6
Qxf6
Black should win without much fuss.
14.exf6
g6
Black couldn't take on f6 due to the Bishop fork, so he is forced to play this weakening move.
15.Qf4
Nf5
16.Ng5?
A slight inaccuracy towards the end. 16.Bd3!
Rg8
17.Ng5!
Qf8
18.Bc4!
d5
19.Bxd5
Nd6
20.Be5!
h6
21.Bxd6
hxg5
22.Qxg5!+-
Fritz has announced mate in 10 moves, but as this begins with Black's throwing away his Queen on g7, we may safely close this variation with the statement that White is winning.
16...Nd6?
A grave error. 16...d5
puts up a tougher fight, though after 17.Bd3
Qd6
18.Be5
Qd7
19.h4!
Black cannot prevent his kingside from busting open anyway.
17.Nxf7+!!
A stunning sacrifice!
17...Nxf7?
17...Rxf7
was imperative. However, Black is still losing after 18.Bxf7
Qf8
19.Bxg6!
Nf7
(19...hxg6
20.f7+
Kh7
21.Qh4+
Qh6
22.f8Q!
Qxh4
23.Qh8#
) 20.Qh4
Qg8
21.Re1!
when the invasion of White's Rook on the back rank cannot be stopped.
18.Qh6!!
Sparkling! Black realized what was happening and hastily resigned before being embarrassed any further. 18.Qh6!!
Rg8
(18...Nxh6??
falls into 19.f7+
Qf6
20.Bxf6#
) 19.Bxf7
Qf8
20.Bd5!
Black *still* can't take the Queen! Now f7+ is unstoppable, and White will mate shortly.
1-0