Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...d5

Russian game
	a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
	Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3pN3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R
	Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d5
	ECO code: C42
	Parent: ; Russian game → 3. Nxe5; Elephant gambit;

3...d5?

Rather than try to recover the e-pawn directly, Black offers their d-pawn to White as well in return for active play. This gambit is considered unsound.

4. exd5 accepts the free pawn, then the line continues 4...Qxd5 (threatening knight) 5. d4 Nc6.

After 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 O-O-O 8. c3±, while Black has active pieces and a development lead, engine evaluation finds they do not have compensation for the pawn.

Alternatively, 6. Nxc6 Qxc6 7. Qe2+ Be7 8. Qb5 O-O 9. Qxc6 bxc6⩲ cuts White's lead but steers into the endgame, stamping the life out of the position for Black.

History

Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava (1983–) is the highest rated player to frequently employ this gambit, including at the 2016 World Rapid^[1] and Blitz Championships.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...d5

3...d5?

History

Theory table

References

See also