C40 · Elephant Gambit

Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Qg5
♜♞♝♚♝♞♜♟♟♟♟♟♟♞♛♝♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♜♞♝♛♚♜
The position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Qg5, White to move.

In the Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.

See how you play it

The Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation is a chess opening classified under ECO code C40. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nxe5 dxe4 4. Bc4 Qg5: 8 moves in, with White to play.

It belongs to the Elephant Gambit family — one of many ways the line can branch. Understanding the parent system’s plans is the fastest way to play this variation well.

Club players rarely lose the Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation in the opening itself. They lose it a few moves later, when the plan behind the moves runs out: that is what reading your own games in this line shows you.

Play the Elephant Gambit: Wasp Variation? See where you go wrong.
Deepline reviews your real games, finds the exact moves that cost you, and trains the fixes.
Analyze my games free →

Related openings

King's Knight OpeningElephant GambitElephant Gambit: Maroczy GambitElephant Gambit: Paulsen CountergambitGunderam DefenseKing's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass GambitKing's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit, Chiodini GambitKing's Pawn Game: Damiano DefenseKing's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense, Damiano GambitKing's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense, Damiano Gambit, Chigorin Gambit

See how you play this opening