Openings 1.e4 e5: open games

Elephant Gambit (2...d5): Is It Sound? Lines and Stats by Rating

2...d5 hits back in the center straight away and offers a pawn. It is a surprise weapon rather than a main line: with accurate play White keeps an edge, but many players do not know the accurate play.

For Black1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5Seen in 0.4% of rated games

Lichess rating

C40Elephant Gambit

Games from this position (1600–1999): 25k

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
55%	14k	46%50%
24%	6,058	47%49%
7%	1,755	52%45%
5%	1,259	48%49%
5%	1,240	46%47%
2%	455	22%76%
0.5%	139	45%50%
0.5%	138	37%61%
0.5%	124	46%49%
0.5%	118	45%53%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

3.exd5 is the most common answer. After 3...e4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.d3 White wins time against the e4 pawn.
3.Nxe5 is also strong: after 3...Bd6 4.d4 dxe4 5.Bc4 material is level, but White is better developed and the e4 pawn can become a target.
Do not rush to keep both pawns. Develop, castle and hit the e4 pawn.

Black

After 3.exd5 the main try is 3...e4, gaining space and hitting the f3 knight.
Against 3.Nxe5, 3...Bd6 develops with tempo ideas; 3...dxe4 is the most common choice below 1200.
Taking back with 3...Qxd5 lets White develop with Nc3 and gain time on the queen.

Elephant Gambit at each rating

How often the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	14k0.4%	52%44%	3.exd546%
1200–1599	22k0.4%	48%48%	3.exd560%
1600–1999	25k0.4%	47%50%	3.exd555%
2000+	5,8140.3%	47%47%	3.exd543%
All	66k0.4%	48%48%	3.exd554%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

Main variations

The main line. The queen pins the e4 pawn against the king, and d3 attacks it again.
2,542 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 4% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.d3
White keeps the knight in the center and develops faster. Material is level, but Black’s e4 pawn can become a target.
929 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 41%, 7% were drawn, Black won 52%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Bd6 4.d4 dxe4 5.Bc4
Taking back with the queen costs time: Nc3 hits it and White develops with tempo.
2,579 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 55%, 4% were drawn, Black won 42%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qe6

At club level

Below 1200, after 3.exd5 over half of players take back with 3...Qxd5, and White then scores well; at 2000+ four in five play 3...e4. Overall the gambit scores about level in our games, so it works as a surprise more than it should.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

Practice as Black Practice as White

Related openings

King’s Pawn Game: 1.e4 e5
1.e4 e5
4.6M games
King’s Knight Opening: 2.Nf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
2.8M games
Italian Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
825k games
Bishop’s Opening
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
503k games
Philidor Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6
426k games
Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
383k games