Chess opening · ECO C40
Elephant Gambit
The Elephant Gambit starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5. It ranks #104 of the 174 openings on this site by how often rated players on Lichess reach it.
Move by move
- 1. e4White pushes the e-pawn two squares to e4, staking a claim in the center.
- 1... e5Black pushes the e-pawn two squares to e5, staking a claim in the center.
- 2. Nf3White develops the kingside knight to f3.
- 2... d5Black pushes the d-pawn two squares to d5, staking a claim in the center.
What players choose next, by rating
The three most common White moves from this position in rated Lichess games, grouped by the rating of the player making the move. exd5 is the most popular next move in every rating band.
| Rating | Most common | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | exd5 36% | Nxe5 24% | d3 14% |
| 1200–1399 | exd5 51% | Nxe5 23% | Nc3 7% |
| 1400–1599 | exd5 67% | Nxe5 18% | d3 5% |
| 1600–1799 | exd5 71% | Nxe5 20% | Nc3 3% |
| 1800–1999 | exd5 59% | Nxe5 30% | d4 5% |
| 2000 and up | exd5 42% | Nxe5 38% | d4 14% |
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