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Learn the Vienna Game with our free interactive trainer. Master the Vienna Gambit accepted and declined, the Qf3 and d3 main lines, and the Copycat Variation for White. 12 chapters.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4
The Vienna Game begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3. If Black answers 2...Nf6, White plays 3.f4 and offers the f-pawn: the Vienna Gambit. The gambit only arises after 2...Nf6. The chapters that follow cover accepting it, declining it, and the main line with 3...d5.
3... exf4 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nf3 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. Qe2 Bb4 8. Qxe5+ Qe7 9. Bxf4
Taking the pawn with 3...exf4 is the natural reaction and a mistake. White plays 4.e5 and drives the knight all the way back to g8. After 5.Nf3 and 6.d4 White wins the pawn back with a large lead in development.
3... Nc6 4. fxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Nf3 d6 8. Bc4 dxe5 9. O-O ...
3...Nc6 is a blunder. White takes on e5, kicks both knights with d4 and e5, and gets a huge centre and a big lead in development. If Black keeps grabbing pawns, 10.Ng5 and 11.Bxf7+ start a forced mate that ends with 15.Re6#.
5... Nc6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Nf3 d6 8. Bc4 dxe5 9. O-O exd4 10. Ng5 dxc3 11. Bxf7+ ...
After 3...Nc6 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 the knight can also retreat to c6 instead of g6. White plays exactly as before: 6.e5 kicks the f6 knight, 8.Bc4 targets f7, and if Black keeps taking pawns the same Ng5 and Bxf7+ idea leads to mate, this time with 14.Re6#.
3... d6 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. d3 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6
3...d6 declines the gambit and protects e5. White develops with 4.Nf3 and 5.Bb5, supports the centre with 6.d3, and trades on c6 when the bishop is challenged. The plan is to finish development, take on e5, and open the f-file for the rook after castling kingside.
3... d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6
3...d5 is the main line. Black counterattacks the e4 pawn instead of grabbing on f4. After 4.fxe5 Nxe4 White has several options, and this chapter covers 5.Qf3. Black usually takes on c3, and White recaptures with the b-pawn before building the centre with d4.
5. d3 Qh4+ 6. g3 Nxg3 7. Nf3 Qh5 8. Nxd5 Na6 9. Nf4 Qh6 10. Ne2
After 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 White can also play 5.d3, kicking the knight. The line is very trappy and will not appear in most games. Black's 5...Qh4+ and 6...Nxg3 look like they win a rook, but 7.Nf3 and 8.Nxd5 turn the tables and White ends up a piece ahead.
4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. dxc3
In the main line after 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3 Black can defend with 5...Nc6, attacking the e5 pawn. White pins the knight with 6.Bb5 and, after the exchange on c3, recaptures with the d-pawn to open the dark-squared bishop.
5... f5 6. d3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 d4 8. Qg3 dxc3 9. Be2 Nc6 10. Bh5+ g6 11. Bxg6+ ...
After 5.Qf3 Black can support the knight with 5...f5. White attacks it with 6.d3, and if Black grabs pawns with ...d4 and ...dxc3 there is a trap: 9.Be2 and 10.Bh5+ exploit the open king, and 11.Bxg6+ followed by 12.Qxg6+ leaves it defenceless.
7... Qh4+ 8. g3 Qe4+ 9. Be3 Qxc2 10. Ne2 Qxb2 11. O-O Qxb5 12. Qxf7+ Kd8 13. Nd4 ...
After 7.dxc3 Black's most popular move is 7...Qh4+ 8.g3 Qe4+, offering a queen trade. White can accept and head for the endgame, or play 9.Be3 and keep the queens on, offering the c2 and b2 pawns as bait. A greedy queen that also takes on b5 gets mated after 12.Qxf7+.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Qg4 Qf6 5. Nd5 Qxf2+ 6. Kd1 g6 ...
When Black copies White with 2...Nc6 the gambit is off and White plays 3.Bc4. If Black mirrors again with 3...Bc5, 4.Qg4 targets g7. The common reply 4...Qf6 is met by 5.Nd5, attacking the queen and the c7 pawn, and after 5...Qxf2+ 6.Kd1 Black cannot deal with every threat.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5
Against 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 Black often plays 3...Nf6. White supports the centre with 4.d3 and continues with normal development. This short chapter shows the setup.