King's Pawn Opening: King's Knight, Elephant Gambit
In his Chessable courses, GM Sam Shankland says that any opening named after an animal is bad. The Elephant Gambit may be "Dumbo" to a super grandmaster. However, as a surprise weapon, it can stampede a chess player caught unaware. Here are the key points you need to know about this popular Black opening:
Starting Position
The Elephant Gambit arises after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5!? What are the pros and cons from Black's perspective?
Pros
- Quick kingside development
- Aggressive attacking position
- Avoids main line opening theory (e.g., Spanish and Italian Games)
Cons
- White is a clean pawn up in most variations
- It can be difficult to prove dynamic compensation against well-prepared opponents
- White scores exceptionally well in master-level games
Main Variations
Of course, the only way to refute a gambit is to accept it. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5?!, the Elephant Gambit has three key variations:
Paulsen Countergambit
The Paulsen Countergambit is named after Louis Paulsen, a 19th-century master from Germany. After 3.exd5, Black plays 3...e4 to kick the king's knight from its defensive position and attack the kingside.
Maroczy Gambit
The Maroczy Gambit is named after GM Geza Maroczy from Hungary. After 3.exd5, Black plays 3...Bd6 to develop rapidly the kingside and protect the e5-pawn.
3.Nxe5
Another variation in the Elephant Gambit is when White plays 3.Nxe5 instead of 3.exd5.
Model Games
In a casual game in 1863, Wilhelm Steinitz, the first world chess champion, fell victim to the Elephant Gambit. It may be a dubious opening, but if a world champion can lose to it so can you!
GM Mikhail Tal, the eighth world chess champion, fared better than Steinitz. In the following game, Tal gave a masterclass on how to dismantle the Elephant Gambit.
Is Elephant Gambit Good?
If you enjoy the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the Elephant Gambit and find success with it in your games, there's nothing wrong with using it as part of your repertoire. However, if your goal is to improve your overall understanding of chess and develop a more solid foundation, you may want to explore other openings that have stood the test of time.
Head over to our Master Games database to study this opening and learn even more about it!