Danish Gambit

White offers one and then two pawns for rapid development, with both bishops aimed at Black’s king.

It is reached after 5 moves: 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3.

Black is to move and has 31 legal moves. Over the next four moves — two for each side — the game can branch into 1,485,365 different games. Those games reach 469,603 different positions: most positions can be reached in more than one way, 3.2 on average.

The Lichess opening list names 7 further lines after this position, such as Danish Gambit Accepted (3... dxc3) and Danish Gambit Accepted, Svenonius Defense (3... Ne7).

The same moves can be played in 2 different legal orders that all reach this position. For example 1. d4 e5 2. e4 exd4 3. c3, which starts as the Queen's Pawn Game.