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The Elephant Gambit (also called the Queen's Pawn Counter Gambit or Englund Counterattack) is a rarely played chess opening beginning with the moves:
Contents
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5!?Although the Elephant Gambit is considered unsound, it has been used frequently by the Barbadian master Philip Corbin.
Lines
White is able to capture either of Black's center pawns with the advantage, either by 3.exd5 or 3.Nxe5. With a center pawn removed, Black is in a passive position with White clearly having the initiative as White controls more space.
3.exd5
Black's responses to 3.exd5 include 3...e4 and 3...Bd6 (the Elephant Gambit proper). 3...Qxd5 saves the pawn, but leaves White with a big lead in development after 4.Nc3.
3...e4 4.Qe2 Nf6
A typical line might continue 3...e4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.d3 Qxd5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.dxe4 Qe6 and White remains a pawn ahead, although Black's development is somewhat smoother.
Alternatively, after 4...Nf6:
3...e4 4.Qe2 f5
3...e4 4.Qe2, Black plays 4...f5 5.d3 Nf6 6.dxe4 fxe4 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Qb5+ c6 9.Qxb4 exf3 with 10.Bg5 cxd5 11.0-0-0 Nc6 as in Tal–Lutikov, Tallinn 1964 (see de Firmian) with advantage for White.
Elephant Gambit proper: 3...Bd6
3...Bd6 4.d4 e4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Bc4 and according to de Firmian, White enjoys a distinct superiority but no immediate attack.
3.Nxe5
After 3.Nxe5: