Elephant Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5
The Elephant Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO C40, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 47,038 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 3. exd5 (54% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.81 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. d3 Qxd5)
- ECO
- C40
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/3pp3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 19,932 | |
| 1500-1999 | 23,044 | |
| 2000+ | 4,062 | |
| All | 47,038 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. exd5 | 25,449 (54%) | |
| 3. Nxe5 | 10,178 (22%) | |
| 3. d4 | 3,191 (7%) | |
| 3. Nc3 | 2,951 (6%) | |
| 3. d3 | 2,573 (5%) | |
| 3. Bc4 | 806 (2%) | |
| 3. Bb5+ | 578 (1%) | |
| 3. Bd3 | 536 (1%) |
Master games
1,672 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 9%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- GM Awonder Liang (2613) – GM Nihal Sarin (2648) 0-1 · chess.com Junior Speed · 2022-05-12
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2749) – IM Abdulla Gadimbayli (2470) 1-0 · Levitov Christmas Final · 2020-12-24
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2749) – IM Abdulla Gadimbayli (2470) 1-0 · Levitov Christmas Final · 2020-12-24
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2749) – IM Abdulla Gadimbayli (2470) 1-0 · Levitov Christmas Final · 2020-12-24
- GM Mikhail Kobalia (2538) – GM Igor Kovalenko (2674) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 18th Mar Early · 2025-03-18
Search all games of the Elephant Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- F1nal_Masquerade (2792) – FM IGet_Stronger (2616) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- malosize (2723) – satlan (2682) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- evg85 (2801) – MrHani (2601) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
King's Knight Opening 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
Continuations
- Elephant Gambit: Maróczy Gambit C40 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Bd6
- Elephant Gambit: Paulsen Countergambit C40 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4
- Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation C40 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Qg5
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.