Elephant Gambit

Black ignores the attack on their e-pawn and tries to gain time and space. Black wants to open the centre and attack, however the gambit is unsound. Black will be on the back foot in an open position because they are a tempo behind White. If White plays accurately, Black does not get sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn, but the resulting positions can be sharp and it is sometimes used a surprise opening for Black.

Capturing either pawn, 3. Nxe5 or 3. exd5, is winning for White, but the main move is 3. exd5.

After 3. exd5, rather than recapturing the pawn immediately and allowing White to develop with tempo (3...Qxd5?! 4. Nc3), Black's plan is 3...e4. 4. Qe2, called the Paulsen countergambit, defends the knight by pinning the pawn. Then the usual refutation is 4...Nf6 5. d3! Qxd5 6. Nbd2 Nc6 7. dxe4±. (6. Nbd2 avoids complications following 6. Nc3 Bb4, where 7. Bd2? is a common mistake.)

3. Nxe5, capturing the e-pawn, is also winning. If 3...dxe4 4. Bc4 and White has overwhelming pressure on the f7 pawn. If 3...Bd6 4. d4 dxe4 5. Bc4 Bxe5, White has the critical move 6. Qh5!, threatening Qxf7# and Qxe5. Black has to trade queens and White goes into an endgame with the bishop pair. 6...Qe7 7. Qxe5 Qxe5 8. dxe5⩲.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5

Wikipedia has related information at Elephant Gambit.

• Analysis of Short v Corbin, 2006, thechessdrum.net.