The Vienna, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3, delays Nf3 so that the f-pawn can advance to f4 in one move: a King’s Gambit with extra safety. It is aggressive, easy to learn, and full of tricks for the unprepared opponent.
Key ideas
1The knight on c3 protects e4, so f4 can be played without losing the e-pawn.
2Against 2...Nf6 play 3.f4; after 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 the centre opens in White’s favour.
3Against 2...Nc6 play 3.Bc4 and keep the f4 idea in reserve.
4The bishop on c4 plus a knight on d5 create constant threats against f7 and c7.
5Do not take on f7 unless it wins by force: development first.
In Pro
Vienna Game is part of Pro, with every opening in the library and review dates on each line.
Pro is $6.99 a month or $49 a year. Start free: three days
in a row earns 72 hours of Pro with no card.
Swap the order of White's knights and 1.e4 e5 becomes a different game. 2.Nc3 guards e4 so that f4 can come next, a King's Gambit idea without the loose e-pawn that makes the real King's Gambit risky. Against players who expect 2.Nf3 the Vienna leaves the book on move two.
What you will learn
01Play 3.f4 against 2...Nf6 and know the sequence 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 by heart.
02Meet 3...Nxe4 with 4.Qh5 and know where the queen goes each time Black hits it.
03Hold the f4 idea in reserve after 2...Nc6 3.Bc4, and use d3, Nf3 and f5 once Black has castled.
The main line
The Vienna Gambit line runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Be7 6.d4 O-O 7.Bd3 f5. White's third move offers the f-pawn, and Black's best reply is not to take it but to hit back in the centre with 3...d5. White takes on e5, Black takes on e4, and the position opens with White's e5 pawn cramping the Black king side.
5.Nf3 and 6.d4 build a centre and cover the pawn; Black develops and castles. 7.Bd3 puts the bishop on the diagonal towards h7 and asks the knight on e4 what it is doing. 7...f5 holds it there at the cost of a loosened king.
On the Black side the beginner mistake is 3...exf4, which is what White hopes for. On the White side it is Bxf7+ too early in the Bc4 lines: it wins a pawn and loses the game's best piece, so it is only right when it wins by force. The other error is 3.f4 against 2...Nc6; there the bishop goes to c4 first.
How to practise it
Learn the Vienna Gambit line first; the sequence 3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 is the one you must know cold. Drill it as White until the seven moves need no thought, then take the Frankenstein-Dracula line, where the queen gets chased and must land on the right squares. The two 3.Bc4 lines follow on their review dates in Pro.
Yes, for a player who already knows the Italian and wants something sharper against 1...e5. The ideas are direct, but the gambit lines need accurate recall.
What is the main line of the Vienna Game?
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Be7 6.d4 O-O 7.Bd3 f5, the Vienna Gambit. Against 2...Nc6 White usually plays 3.Bc4 and keeps f4 for later.