8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3

Shown from White's side. ECO C25.

Opening guide · an opening for White

Vienna Game

The Vienna Game starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. White defends the e4 pawn and keeps the f pawn free to advance, so the opening can turn into a delayed King's Gambit with f4. It is less common than 2. Nf3, which means many opponents know it less well.

Games in our sample
45,883
White wins
51.3%
Draws
3.9%
Black wins
44.8%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Vienna Game scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10004,3211.9%50.9%4.4%44.7%
1000 to 11995,7231.8%51.2%3.6%45.2%
1200 to 13997,9021.7%50.9%3.8%45.3%
1400 to 15999,8641.6%50.7%3.6%45.7%
1600 to 17999,2131.4%52.4%3.9%43.7%
1800 to 19995,8771.1%51.9%4.1%44.0%
2000 to 21992,2430.9%50.2%4.9%45.0%
2200 and over7400.7%51.1%5.4%43.5%
All ratings45,8831.5%51.3%3.9%44.8%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Vienna Game that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Max Lange Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6

    6,545 games · White 50.4% · draws 4.1% · Black 45.4%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Vienna Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4

    5,166 games · White 57.7% · draws 3.4% · Black 38.9%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Anderssen Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5

    4,692 games · White 48.9% · draws 3.4% · Black 47.8%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Stanley Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4

    3,624 games · White 50.7% · draws 3.5% · Black 45.8%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Falkbeer Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6

    2,691 games · White 45.2% · draws 3.5% · Black 51.3%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4

    1,548 games · White 53.6% · draws 3.6% · Black 42.8%

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Ideas for White

  • Choose between a quiet setup with Bc4 and the Vienna Gambit with f4.
  • The knight on c3 watches d5, the square Black wants for a pawn break.

Ideas for Black

  • 2...Nf6 is the main reply, and against 3. f4 the counter in the centre, 3...d5, is the standard answer.
  • After 2...Nf6 3. f4 avoid 3...exf4: 4. e5 chases the knight home.

Questions

What are the moves of the Vienna Game?
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. In the ECO classification it is filed under C25.
How does the Vienna Game score?
In 45,883 games with it in our sample, White won 51.3%, 3.9% were drawn and Black won 44.8%.
At which ratings is the Vienna Game played most?
Among players rated under 1000 it is 1.9% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.7%, is among players rated 2200 and over.
Which line of the Vienna Game is played most?
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6), with 6,545 games in our sample.

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