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Elephant Gambit: 3.Nxe5

Gambit67 linesYou play Black

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5. White takes the e5 pawn and Black counter-attacks with ...Nf6 or ...Bd6 and quick piece play against White's centre.

Elephant Gambit: 3.Nxe5 after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5

The idea

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Black has two tries: 3…dxe4, when the position opens and Black's queen comes out, or 3…Bd6 attacking the knight. Black wants fast development and open lines in exchange for the pawn, and White's pieces can get tangled if careless.

What happens next

With 3…Bd6 4.d4 dxe4 Black follows up with …Nf6 and …O-O, and the e4 pawn gives useful space. With 3…dxe4 4.Bc4 Qg5 Black attacks g2 and the knight at once; White has to find Bxf7+ and Qh5 ideas to stay on top.

How to play against it

After 3…Bd6 4.d4 dxe4 5.Bc4 is the main line, keeping the extra pawn while Black's e4 pawn can be attacked by Nc3. After 3…dxe4, 4.Bc4 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.d4 is the known refutation.

A key line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Nd2 f5 8.c4 Be6 9.cxd5 Bxd5

More lines

11...Qh4 12.g3 Bxg3 13.hxg3 …
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 f5 8.f3 Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.fxe4 fxe4 11.Be2 Qh4 12.g3 Bxg3 13.hxg3 Qxg3+ 14.Kh1 Rf2
11...Qh4 12.h3 Qf2+ 13.Kh1 …
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 f5 8.f3 Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.fxe4 fxe4 11.Be2 Qh4 12.h3 Qf2+ 13.Kh1 Qg3 14.Kg1 Qh2#
13...Qxg3+ 14.Bg2 Rf2
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 Nf6 4.d4 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 f5 8.f3 Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.fxe4 fxe4 11.Bf1 Qh4 12.g3 Bxg3 13.hxg3 Qxg3+ 14.Bg2 Rf2
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