Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense

Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code C25, part of the Vienna Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 4 moves it is White 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
• 2... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. Bc4.

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: Max Lange Defense course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Vienna Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3)
• Continues with: Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense – adds 3. f4
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Fyfe Gambit – adds 3. d4
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Paulsen Variation – adds 3. g3
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Meitner-Mieses Gambit – adds 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Qg4 Qf6
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation – adds 3. Bc4 Nf6
• 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)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Omaha Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4)
• 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: Paulsen Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Hamppe-Meitner Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Na4)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Paulsen Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bc5 5. Nge2 d5)

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