C26 · Open · a plan for White

Vienna Game: Mengarini Variation

5/5
1.e4e52.Nc3Nf63.a3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Vienna Game: Mengarini Variation262k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
36%94k50%
26%69k50%
16%42k54%
6.7%17k51%
4.3%11k48%
4.2%11k49%
2%5.4k47%
1.1%2.9k45%
1%2.7k47%
0.6%1.6k46%
Famous games in this line86 master games
Firouzja, Alireza (2762)Anand, V. (2743)20251–0Aronian, L. (2728)Wojtaszek, R. (2660)20251–0Jacobson, Brandon (2583)Sargsyan, Shant (2665)20250–1Pauwels, Christophe (2547)Efremov, Aleksandr Gennadiev (2609)2010½–½Moiseenko, Va (2526)Batchuluun, T. (2530)20191–0Scheerer, Christoph (2401)Graf, Alexander (2637)20050–1Wahls, Matthias (2525)Piket, Jeroen (2495)1990½–½Narciso Dublan, M. (2529)Asis Gargatagli, H. (2463)2015½–½
Heroes of this opening Firouzja, Alireza · Aronian, L. · Sargsyan, Shant · Moiseenko, Va
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C26
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. a3
Classical
Read the guide: Vienna GameExplore all 41 Vienna Game lines
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Vienna's coffee-house masters of the 19th century loved 2.Nc3: it keeps every King's Gambit dream alive while dodging Black's best-prepared replies. The Vienna Gambit lines (3.f4) still score brutally in club chess — same fire, one move of patience.

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