Current position
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
The Vienna Game starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 and is catalogued under ECO C25, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 41 lines inside it, grouped into 40 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.
Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.
Develops the knight to c3, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Develops the knight to c6, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances the f-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Captures the pawn on f4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the kingside and reshape the center for the next phase.
Develops the knight to f3, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances the g-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Prepare a fianchetto or discourage the opponent’s expansion on that wing.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Advances the g-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Develops the bishop to c4, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Vienna Game. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
16 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Vienna Game.