Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Alekhine Variation
Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Alekhine Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C27, part of the Vienna Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Nxe5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 13 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
2... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
3. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
3... Nxe4 – Black takes on e4 with the knight
4. Qh5 – White plays the queen to h5
4... Nd6 – Black plays the knight to d6
5. Bb3 – White plays the bishop to b3
5... Be7 – Black plays the bishop to e7
6. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
6... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
The line goes on for 1 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
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.
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