Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4
The Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO C25, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4. It is a line of the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 374 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 4… Bb4 (24% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.50 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 4… Qh4+ 5. Ke2 Qh5+ 6. Nf3 g5 7. Nd5)
- ECO
- C25
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/3PPp2/2N5/PPP3PP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 165 | |
| 1500-1999 | 152 | |
| 2000+ | 57 | |
| All | 374 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Bb4 | 89 (24%) | |
| 4… Qh4+ | 74 (20%) | |
| 4… g5 | 53 (14%) | |
| 4… d6 | 52 (14%) | |
| 4… Nf6 | 40 (11%) | |
| 4… d5 | 20 (5%) | |
| 4… Be7 | 11 (3%) | |
| 4… f5 | 5 (1%) |
Master games
37 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 8%, Black 46%). The strongest:
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2743) – GM So, W. (2770) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-19
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) – GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2687) 1-0 · Levitov Match March 24th · 2021-03-24
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2627) – GM Volodar Murzin (2635) 1-0 · Titled Tue 9th Jan Early · 2024-01-09
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2622) – GM Haik M. Martirosyan (2626) 1-0 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 12th Mar 2026 · 2026-03-12
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2732) – IM Lucas Liascovich (2413) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Feb Late · 2024-02-06
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Jamorris94 (2791) – Superstitions_Guy (2800) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Chu-do (2535) – Iamlegit01 (2497) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- Poblesk (2543) – Nguoihatrong (2473) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4
Continuations
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line C25 · 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: 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, Fraser-Minckwitz Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Paulsen Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Sörensen Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Zukertort 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.