Elephant Gambit: Paulsen Countergambit

Elephant Gambit: Paulsen Countergambit is a chess opening with the ECO code C40, part of the Elephant Gambit family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 6 moves it is White to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
• 2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
• 2... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 3. exd5 – White captures on d5 with the e-pawn
• 3... e4 – Black plays the pawn to e4

Related openings

• It extends: Elephant Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5)
• Related line: Elephant Gambit: Maróczy Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Bd6)
• Related line: Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Qg5)

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