- The moves1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
- Chosen byWhite
- ECOC25–C29
- Also calledVienna Gambit
The Vienna Game comes after 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3. White develops the queen's knight instead of the king's knight. That leaves the f-pawn free, and the original idea was to play f4 a move or two later, like a King's Gambit with a piece already out. Today White is just as likely to play quietly, with Bc4 or g3.
The opening is named after Vienna. Carl Hamppe lived there, an official in the finance ministry and a chess master. He won the Vienna championship twice, ahead of Wilhelm Steinitz, contributed to the opening's theory, and two of the gambit lines bear his name. The opening became popular in the 1800s, and in 1888 a reviewer in the New York Times wrote that since Morphy only one new opening had been introduced: the Vienna.
Weaver Adams went so far as to claim that it wins for White. It doesn't: with best play from both sides, theory today expects equality. But White gets a lively game with many choices, and Black has to know what to do.
The main line, move by move
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Qe2 Nxc3 7. dxc3 c5 8. Bf4 Nc6 9. O-O-O Be6
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The ideas
White wants to
- Play f4 and open the f-file, as in a King's Gambit, but with the knight already on c3.
- In the quiet lines: develop with Bc4 or g3 and Bg2, and save f4 for later.
- Attack on the kingside when the kings stand on opposite wings.
Black wants to
- Strike back in the center with …d5, preferably right away against f4.
- Don't take the f-pawn at the wrong moment: after 3.f4 exf4?! comes 4.e5 and the knight has to retreat.
- Put a knight on e4 and create counterplay on the queenside.
Important variations
Mieses Variation: 3.g3
White fianchettoes the king's bishop instead of playing f4. It is a quiet, positional way to play. The variation is named after Jacques Mieses, and Vasily Smyslov played it on a few occasions, among them a win over Lev Polugaevsky in the 1961 USSR Championship. The main line runs 3…d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nxc3 6.bxc3.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bd6
Steinitz Gambit: 2…Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.d4
Wilhelm Steinitz, the first world champion, liked this: White lets Black check on h4 and moves the king to e2. The center and the tempo against Black's queen are supposed to make up for a king that can no longer castle. The king is a fighting piece, Steinitz held. Few players today dare to walk the king forward so early, and the gambit is rare.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2
The trap: the Würzburger Trap
The trap got its name around 1930, after the German banker Max Würzburger. After 5.d3 the check 5…Qh4+ is tempting. On 6.g3 Black takes with 6…Nxg3, and the rook on h1 seems to be hanging. But White answers 7.Nf3! with tempo on the queen, and after 8.Nxd5 both sides are grabbing each other's pieces. Once the queens are off, it is roughly equal. If Black then greedily takes the pawn on c2 with 11…Bxc2?, 12.b3! follows, and the bishop on c2 is shut in. White wins it with Kd2 or Rh2. The check on h4 isn't the best, by the way: 5…Nxc3 gives Black the better game.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. d3 Qh4+ 6. g3 Nxg3 7. Nf3 Qh5 8. Nxd5 Bg4 9. Nf4 Bxf3 10. Nxh5 Bxd1 11. hxg3 Bxc2 12. b3
12. b3
The bishop on c2 is shut in. White wins it with Kd2 or Rh2.
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How it goes in real games
How the games ended once the position had come up on the board, in blitz, rapid and classical games. White wins, draws and Black wins, as a percentage of the games.
| Position | Level | Games | White wins | Draw | Black wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 | Club players | 31,255,875 | 52% | 4% | 44% |
| Strong players | 5,604,177 | 51% | 5% | 43% | |
| Vienna Game, main line, up to 5.Nf3 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 | Club players | 260,041 | 50% | 5% | 45% |
| Strong players | 140,059 | 49% | 7% | 44% | |
| Mieses Variation: 3.g3 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 | Club players | 518,002 | 53% | 6% | 41% |
| Strong players | 265,010 | 52% | 7% | 41% | |
| Steinitz Gambit: 2…Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.d4, up to 3…exf4 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 | Club players | 882,726 | 52% | 4% | 44% |
| Strong players | 273,434 | 50% | 4% | 45% |
The most common continuations after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
Club players, share of the games in the position.
- 2…Nc6 39% (12,205,634 games)
- 2…Nf6 31% (9,654,767 games)
- 2…d6 10% (3,184,078 games)
- 2…Bc5 9% (2,815,440 games)
- 2…Bb4 3% (987,389 games)
Source: games on Lichess, fetched November 6–7, 2026. Club players means games where the players average 1600 or more, strong players games where they average 2000 or more. The strong players' games are counted among the club players' too. Each position is counted however it was reached, and a line that goes further than we have numbers for is shown up to its last position with numbers.
Explore the position on the analysis board: the moves club players choose from here, how the games tend to end, and what Lavi thinks of each move.
Is this opening for you?
The Vienna Game suits players who want the sharp play of the King's Gambit without giving away a pawn on move two. With the same first moves, White can choose between sharp gambits and quiet setups.
With Black, the main thing is to know …d5 against f4. Know that, and you avoid most of the surprises.
Practice the main line
Choose a color and one of the house players. Your opponent follows the main line, and you try to find your moves. If you play something else, you'll see the main line's move, but the game goes on. When the main line ends, you play freely.
Rather play freely? Choose an opponent · Play right away
The main line with all the comments as text
1. e4 White takes space in the center. 1… e5 Black answers in kind. 2. Nc3 This is the Vienna Game. The knight protects e4, and the f-pawn is free for f4. 2… Nf6 One of the two most common replies. The other is 2…Nc6. The knight attacks e4. 3. f4 The Vienna Gambit. If Black takes the pawn with 3…exf4, 4.e5 follows and the knight has to go back to g8. 3… d5 The best reply. Black strikes back in the center, with the same idea as the Falkbeer Countergambit against the King's Gambit. 4. fxe5 White captures and attacks the knight on f6. 4… Nxe4 The knight jumps to e4, right in White's camp. The position is sharp. 5. Nf3 The traditional main move. White develops and protects the pawn on e5. 5… Be7 The Breyer Variation, one of Black's usual replies. Black develops and gets ready to castle. 6. Qe2 The queen puts pressure on the knight on e4. 6… Nxc3 Black trades off the knights. 7. dxc3 White recaptures with the d-pawn. Now the d-file is open and the bishop on c1 is free. 7… c5 Black gains space on the queenside. That is where Black's counterplay comes, often with …Qa5. 8. Bf4 The bishop develops and protects the pawn on e5. 8… Nc6 9. O-O-O Castling long. White wants to attack on the kingside, most often with h4. 9… Be6 The bishop protects d5. The kings end up on opposite wings, and both sides have their chances. With correct play Black holds the balance.
More openings
King's Gambit
2.f4 sacrifices a pawn for the initiative. The great attacking opening of the 1800s.
Italian Game
The bishop to c4 aims at f7. Classical, logical and perfect to learn first.
Two Knights Defense
3…Nf6 invites 4.Ng5 and the fight over f7. Home of the Fried Liver and the Traxler.
Scotch Game
3.d4 at once: an open game, free pieces and no long maneuvering.
Every move on this page has been checked against the rules of chess.
Updated November 6, 2026
2. Nc3
This is the Vienna Game. The knight protects e4, and the f-pawn is free for f4.