Elephant Gambit: Paulsen Countergambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 e4

ECO C40

The Elephant Gambit: Paulsen Countergambit is a chess opening line in the Elephant Gambit complex, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 e4.

It is catalogued under code C40 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move e4 is chosen by Black on move 3.

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Elephant Gambit course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.