Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit

Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code C29, part of the Vienna Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 5 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. f4 – White plays the pawn to f4

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3... d5, 3... exf4.

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: Vienna Gambit course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Vienna Game: Falkbeer Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6)
• Continues with: Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line – adds 3... d5
• Related line: Vienna Game: Heyde Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 f5 6. d4)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Bardeleben Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 f5)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Breyer Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Bronstein Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. f4 Nxe4 5. Nf3)
• Related line: Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Kaufmann Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Qe2)

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