Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4
The Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO C25, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 9,183 times by this move order. White won 52%, 4% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 3… exf4 (44% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.53 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 3… exf4 4. d4 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 b6 6. Qd2)
- ECO
- C25
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/4PP2/2N5/PPPP2PP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3,371 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4,616 | |
| 2000+ | 1,196 | |
| All | 9,183 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… exf4 | 4,001 (44%) | |
| 3… d6 | 1,879 (20%) | |
| 3… Bc5 | 964 (10%) | |
| 3… Nf6 | 953 (10%) | |
| 3… Bb4 | 433 (5%) | |
| 3… f6 | 268 (3%) | |
| 3… d5 | 160 (2%) | |
| 3… f5 | 156 (2%) |
Master games
232 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 58%, draw 12%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Ruslan Ponomariov (2712) – GM Evgeny Tomashevsky (2728) 0-1 · IMSA Blitz 2016 · 2016-02-28
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2603) – GM Daniil Dubov (2707) 0-1 · Titled Tue 21st May Early · 2024-05-21
- GM Pavel Ponkratov (2593) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2713) 1-0 · CGC KO 2022 · 2022-09-24
- IM Khazar Babazada (2499) – GM Hao Wang (2684) 0-1 · FIDE World Bl Team Pool D · 2026-06-20
- GM So, W. (2753) – Antoni Kozak (2428) 1-0 · Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 · 2026-01-27
Search all games of the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Jamorris94 (2791) – Superstitions_Guy (2800) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- IM MassterofMayhem (2674) – unitedff (2595) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Dr_Magician4ik (2471) – GM ikica77 (2664) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6
Continuations
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Quelle Gambit C25 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 Bc5 4. fxe5 d6
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: Pierce Gambit C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz Defense C25
- Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line 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.