Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Zukertort Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d5
The Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Zukertort Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO C25, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d5. It is a line of the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 16 times by this move order. White won 25%, 0% were drawn and Black won 75%. The most popular continuation is 6. Nf3 (75% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.05 (Stockfish, depth 35; best line 6. exd5 Nce7 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Bxf4 O-O-O)
- ECO
- C25
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1b1kbnr/ppp2ppp/2n5/3p4/3PPp1q/2N5/PPP1K1PP/R1BQ1BNR w kq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8 | |
| 2000+ | 6 | |
| All | 16 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Nf3 | 12 (75%) | |
| 6. Nxd5 | 3 (19%) | |
| 6. exd5 | 1 (6%) |
Master games
14 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 28%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.28-dev+_69626 (3623) – Stockfish 14_202107131735 (3639) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Superfinal 2021 · 2021-08-02
- Stockfish 14_202107131735 (3639) – LCZero 0.28-dev+_69626 (3623) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Superfinal 2021 · 2021-08-02
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2595) – GM Peter Svidler (2689) 0-1 · Chessable Masters Play-In · 2024-01-31
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2629) – GM Robert Hovhannisyan (2622) 1-0 · Lindores Abbey Tal Mem · 2021-11-08
- GM Bilel Bellahcene (2512) – GM Vladislav Kovalev (2623) 1/2-1/2 · Hamdan bin Rashid Blitz · 2021-12-09
Highest-rated Lichess games
- LUCENA-H (2441) – Rawhen (2483) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- CM Escudeyro (2385) – wilkolak1961 (2341) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- MCYTD (2273) – surovi (2276) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2
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
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Paulsen Defense 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.