Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
The Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C28, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6. It is a line of the Vienna Game. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 13,531 times by this move order. White won 51%, 4% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 4. d3 (62% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.11 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4. d3 Na5 5. Qf3 c6 6. Nge2 b5)
- ECO
- C28
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/2N5/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 4 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 5,668 | |
| 1500-1999 | 6,751 | |
| 2000+ | 1,112 | |
| All | 13,531 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. d3 | 8,424 (62%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 2,367 (17%) | |
| 4. f4 | 1,404 (10%) | |
| 4. a3 | 362 (3%) | |
| 4. Nge2 | 337 (2%) | |
| 4. Qf3 | 230 (2%) | |
| 4. h3 | 119 (1%) | |
| 4. Nd5 | 50 (0%) |
Master games
1,252 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 20%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2792) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) 0-1 · 9th Norway Armageddon · 2021-09-17
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2775) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2868) 1/2-1/2 · Supreme Masters 2013 · 2013-05-10
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2787) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) 1-0 · chess.com Blitz Final 1m+1spm 2016 · 2016-10-27
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2787) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Blitz Final 1m+1spm 2016 · 2016-10-27
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2787) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2835) 1/2-1/2 · Bullet Chess Winners 2023 · 2023-07-21
Highest-rated Lichess games
- dimaremi (2717) – elconceto (2820) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- chaaa116 (2656) – kuhmft (2879) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- secret_mikalsen (2661) – umbrella01 (2787) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6
Continuations
- Bishop's Opening: Vienna Hybrid, Hromádka Variation C28 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bb4 5. Ne2
- Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Bronstein Gambit C28 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. f4 Nxe4 5. Nf3
More Vienna Game lines (all)
- Vienna Game C25
- Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense C25
- Vienna Game: Fyfe Gambit C25
- Vienna Game: Giraffe Attack C25
- Vienna Game: Hamppe-Meitner Variation C25
- Vienna Game: Hamppe-Muzio Gambit C25
- Vienna Game: Hamppe-Muzio, Dubois Variation C25
- Vienna Game: Omaha Gambit C25
- Vienna Game: Paulsen Variation (2… Nc6 3. g3) C25
- Vienna Game: Paulsen Variation (5. Nge2 d5) C25
- Vienna Game: Paulsen Variation, Mariotti Gambit C25
- Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit 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.