OK. Why is it called the Elephant Gambit? Serious question. There must be some reason.
l don't know, but I can tell you that I remember seeing the name used in a book about it, about three decades ago. Here is an article about the opening. (I don't see an explanation of the name.)
http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kibitz15.txt
Started wiIh the Latvian Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 but later shifted to the Elephant Gambit
1.e3 e5 2.Nf3 d5 and have been experimenting with the Schliemann Gambit 1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5. I also play the the Marshals Gambit of the Ruy Lopez and now
invented the Eagles Claw Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 g5 and have looked at the Ruy Lopez
Brentanos Defense 1.e4 e5 2.NF3 NC6 3,Bb5 g5 and recently posted an article about'the
Borg Defense 1.e4 g5 on the Yahoo Unorthodox Chess Openings Newsgroup.
Now the I am retired from work I can spend more time on chess. i used to be a colunist
at Chessville called "The Search for Dragons and Mythical Chess Openings" where I
explored strange new openings and chess gambits that I invented or others who have
esplored these new chess openings. The site no longer exists and also the archived
web site no longer esists. I have recovered most of my chess articles except the Dilworth
Gambit. My site had more hits than the GMs, IMs or Masters at that chessville site.
Except for the Alekhines Parrot site on chessville which was about world wide chess
news. My highest US Chess ration rating was 2205 in 1986 when I won the Hawaii
State Championship with a score of 5.5 points out of 6 rounds. My web site was
popular among lower rated players because it gave them a chance against higher
rated players. I received a master certicficate from the US Chess Federation.
Hawaii is a very tough place to get rating points because it is basically a closed
system. Players steal rating points from each other. To maintain my rating I have
to score close to 100%. Even my friend master Reynolds Takata 2250 will not
play in the local events because he will have to score a perfect score. The other
Master Cornelius Rubsamen goes to the mainland US and picks up rating points
but loses rating points at home. I used to play in tournaments however I am
retired as chess tournaments are concerned. I played in 5 Hawaii4 International'
tournaments and my be st score was 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses. This
was the best score among players from Hawaii.
When I started to play tournament chess I played the Stonewall Opening with 'white
and the Sicilian Dragon with Black. Later took up the French Defense, CaroKann, Petroffs Defense
and etc. As a tournament practice I used to play a new set of openings for both Whtie and
Black every 6 months to prevent my rivals from knowing what I have. Played such openinsgs
as 1.g4 Grobs A Anttack, Orangutan 1.b4 and etc.
There is a reverse form of the Elephant Gambit line that i play and that is called the Halasz
Gambit which starts 1.e4 e5 2.e4 exd4 3.Bd3. And also a similar line in the Bishops Opening
called the Khan Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 d5 3.Bd6 transposing into the Elephant Gambit
line that I play.
Best Regards
Clyde Nakamura/DarthMusashi
c
of course its playable if opponents do not expect it bronstein used it well
yes yasser seirawan chess club saint louis
Personally I am always staggered by the number of outwardly sane people who fall the snake oil chess openings and click bait of Clyde "Harry Mudd" Nakamura.
Any one who refers to an established opening as "his" is a couple of pawns short of a second rank.