Vienna Game

Vienna Game is a chess opening with the ECO code C25. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 3 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
• 2. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 2... Nf6, 2... Nc6.

About the Vienna Game

After 1.e4 e5, White plays 2.Nc3 instead of Nf3. It keeps the f-pawn free, so White can later play f4 like a King's Gambit.

• The Vienna Gambit f4 aims to open the f-file for an attack.
• Bc4 with Qh5 or Qf3 tricks targets f7; beginners must watch out.
• Black's best answers are ...Nf6 with ...d5, hitting the centre fast.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Vienna Game course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: King's Pawn Game (1. e4 e5)
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense – adds 2... Bc5
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense – adds 2... Nc6
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Omaha Gambit – adds 2... d6 3. f4
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Zhuravlev Countergambit – adds 2... Bb4 3. Qg4 Nf6
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Falkbeer Variation – adds 2... Nf6
• Related line: Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Fyfe Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. d4)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Giraffe Attack (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Qg4)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Hamppe-Meitner Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Na4)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Hamppe-Muzio Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 5. Bc4 g4 6. O-O)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Hamppe-Muzio, Dubois Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 5. Bc4 g4 6. O-O gxf3 7. Qxf3 Ne5 8. Qxf4 Qf6)

Browse every named opening · Opening courses