Does the bongcloud work?

Bongcloud opening is 1. e4 e5 2. Ke2?? and objectively it is a terrible opening. Against players around the same level, the one playing this opening is at a big disadvantage and likely to lose most of the time. Objectively speaking, it is a joke opening. 

The reason this opening became famous was because GM Hikaru Nakamura @Hikaru used it for online blitz/bullet and created some entertaining YouTube "speedrun" videos with it. However, he was able to win because of his chess ability and tactical ability DESPITE the bad opening giving the opponent an advantage - just look at the rating of @Hikaru in bullet and blitz! He could make pretty much ANY opening work against most players, but even he has never tried to play this opening against opponents at his level in serious games, under long time controls. 

The closest we got was the well known "double bongcloud" game where GM Hikaru Nakamura played GM Magnus Carlsen with 1. e4 e5 2. Ke2 Ke7 and lots of smiles and laughs from both players ending the game in a draw by 3-fold repetition upon shuffling the Kings but this wasn't a "serious" game; that was the last round of the qualifier they were both in and both had already enough points to advance.

It's just a goofy opening to have fun with... No one would seriously play it

Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura seem to contrast that statement! 😱

Please read my (admittingly long) post above @icy_cream That game with Magnus and Hikaru wasn't really serious because both had already qualified and this was the last round. Here was the actual game and their live reactions...we can see how "serious" this was. 

The Bongcloud is by no means a serious opening; objectively it is really bad and gives the opponent a sizable advantage right out of the opening.

I understand now lol.

bongcloud can be one of the worst openings.

black can simply play e5 then when we play Ke2, one can just play d5, then he can checkmate one with less than 10 moves and you lose.

king safety is more important!