Open · a plan for White
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense
4/4
1.e4e52.Nc3Nc6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense12.2M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
36%4.5M55%
5.7%700k50%
3.5%434k50%
1.3%159k50%
0.9%114k49%
0.7%86k53%
0.3%39k50%
Famous games in this line2.0k master games
Mamedyarov, S. (2764) – Carlsen, M. (2882)Nakamura, Hikaru (2775) – Carlsen, Magnus (2868)Nakamura, Hi (2787) – Carlsen, M. (2853)Nakamura, Hi (2787) – Carlsen, M. (2853)Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2819) – Nakamura, Hi (2791)Kasparov, G. (2812) – Caruana, F. (2795)Caruana, F. (2822) – Aronian, L. (2767)Caruana, F. (2822) – Aronian, L. (2767)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Nakamura, Hi · Vachier Lagrave, Maxime · Kasparov, G.
- Family
- Vienna Game
- Category
- Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C25
- Line
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6
SharpClassical
★ Read the guide: Vienna GameExplore all 41 Vienna Game lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Vienna Game: Fyfe Gambit3.d4 · 1 deeper lineVienna Game: Paulsen Variation3.g3 · 1 deeper lineVienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense3.f4 · 16 deeper linesVienna Game: Philidor Countergambit3.d4 f5
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
Carl Hamppe worked out 2.Nc3 in 19th-century Vienna, and the line was called Hamppe's Game before it took the city's name in the 1890s. Steinitz, Tartakower and Spielmann all used it. The Vienna Gambit (3.f4) keeps every King's Gambit dream alive — same fire, one move of patience.
Study this opening