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The Vienna Gambit is my favourite opening in chess. When I explore my games on chess.com where I’ve managed to play f4, the beginning of the Vienna Gambit, I win roughly two-thirds of those games. The best response to the Vienna Gambit is d5, which isn’t obvious. In fact, only one opponent thus far has responded with d5, and when I chatted with them after the match, they were a fellow Vienna Game enthusiast. Today, my opponent also responded with d5, entering the main line of the Vienna Game and this game shows some of the ideas of the main line.

Unfortunately of my opponent, the advancing of their f-pawn to f6 towards the end of the opening was a serious mistake as it critically weakened the defences on the kingside and the f-file, and one of the potential strategies of the Vienna Game is to attack down the f-file. My early opening up of the b-file also allows the queen’s rook to attack down this file should the light-squared bishop move.

I hope you enjoyed this video, and thanks for watching!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/36025786071

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2022.01.15"]
[Round "?"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "Nicooo25"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C29"]
[WhiteElo "1199"]
[BlackElo "1091"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[EndTime "15:20:03 PST"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c6 7. d4 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 9. Be2 f6 10. O-O Be7 11. Rb1 fxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Rf8 14. Rxf8+ Kxf8 15. Qf3+ Bf6 16. Ba3+ Kg8 17. Rxb7 Bxe5 18. Qf7+ Kh8 19. dxe5 Qg8 20. e6 Na6 21. Qxg8+ Kxg8 22. e7 c5 23. Rd7 Kf7 24. Rd8 Nc7 25. Bxc5 a5 26. Rf8+ Ke6 27. Rxa8 Kd7 28. Rh8 h6 29. Rh7 Ne6 30. Ba3 a4 31. Rh8 h5 32. e8=Q+ Kc7 33. Qxe6 g5 34. Rh7+ Kd8 35. Qg8# 1-0