Elephant Gambit

The Elephant Gambit begins with e4, ...e5, Nf3, and ...d5. White's knight attacks the e5-pawn, but Black responds by striking White's e4-pawn with the queen's pawn. It is a countergambit: instead of passively protecting the threatened material, Black accepts that a central pawn may fall in return for open lines and rapid development.

White may capture on d5 with the e4-pawn or take e5 with the knight. After exd5, ...e4 attacks the f3-knight. White may retreat it, giving Black a tempo, or play Qe2 to attack e4. The activity must still compensate for the sacrificed pawn; if the pressure fades, White may simply remain ahead in material.

...d5 offers a pawn to open the center and attack the knight

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Startd5exd5e4

The f3-knight attacks e5 and creates a concrete threat against the central pawn.

Black counterattacks the center instead of defending e5

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3, Black's e5-pawn is under pressure.

1. The f3-knight attacks e5 and creates a concrete threat against the central pawn.
2. 2...d5 answers by attacking e4 with the queen's pawn and accepts that one of Black's two pawns may fall.

The opening contains traps and sharp positions, but it is considered risky because Black opens the center before finishing development and may fall behind if the attack fails. It shares with the Latvian Gambit the idea of surprising White with an early pawn strike, although here the d7-pawn advances and the initial battle is concentrated in the center.