Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2
The Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line is a chess opening classified as ECO C25, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2. It is a line of the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 53 times by this move order. White won 38%, 5% were drawn and Black won 57%. The most popular continuation is 5… d6 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.48 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 5… b6 6. Nb5 Ba6 7. a4 O-O-O 8. Nf3)
- ECO
- C25
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1b1kbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/3PPp1q/2N5/PPP1K1PP/R1BQ1BNR b kq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 11 | |
| 1500-1999 | 24 | |
| 2000+ | 18 | |
| All | 53 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… d6 Steinitz Gambit, Paulsen Defense | 21 (40%) | |
| 5… d5 Steinitz Gambit, Zukertort Defense | 16 (30%) | |
| 5… g5 Steinitz Gambit, Sörensen Defense | 4 (8%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 3 (6%) | |
| 5… b6 Steinitz Gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz Defense | 3 (6%) | |
| 5… Bb4 | 2 (4%) | |
| 5… Qg4+ | 2 (4%) | |
| 5… Qh5+ | 1 (2%) |
Master games
5 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 20%, draw 20%, Black 60%). The strongest:
- GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen (2582) – FM Yamac Samani (2246) 0-1 · 2nd Cyprus Int Open 2021 · 2021-10-26
- IM Kamran Shirazi (2349) – GM Azer Mirzoev (2430) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tuesday 20th Apr · 2021-04-20
- IM Jonasz Baum (2410) – Maciej Nurkiewicz (2332) 0-1 · Jana Maciei Mem 2022 · 2022-07-08
- IM James Morris (2416) – FM Handiya Joseph (2090) 0-1 · Titled Tue 12th Aug Early · 2025-08-12
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Jamorris94 (2791) – Superstitions_Guy (2800) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Poblesk (2549) – Nguoihatrong (2461) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- LUCENA-H (2441) – Rawhen (2483) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4
Continuations
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz Defense C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 b6
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Paulsen Defense C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d6
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Sörensen Defense C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 g5
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Zukertort Defense C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d5
More Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense lines (all)
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Cunningham Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit, Alapin Variation C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit, Thorold Variation C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Hamppe-Muzio Gambit C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Quelle Gambit C25
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.