---

Earlier in the month, I discovered that the Vienna Gambit, f3 on move 3, was playable when black responds with the Max Lange Defense to the Vienna Game. I was particularly excited with this as my previous response to the Max Lange Defense was Bc4. Although this is a very solid move, fairly natural play after this can lead to the game transposing into Italian Game like positions, which is what I’m trying to avoid by playing the Vienna.

Since that original video on the Vienna Gambit in the Max Lange, I’ve played a few more games with this opening and I’ve been impressed with where this takes me! I’ve certainly had no worse success than with Bc4, but have enjoyed the games more. And as we shall see in the game in this video, a mistake in the opponent’s response can result in quite a commanding advantage.

One of the interesting differences in the Max Lange Vienna Gambit is that black SHOULD accept the gambit. It’s the only way black keeps the advantage, but that forces black to commit to an aggressive style of play, like King’s Gambit games actually, so it can be risky. More defensive options immediately give the advantage to white – not necessarily a massive advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.

In this game, my opponent’s attempt to support their e5 pawn with f6 was a mistake. In general, f-pawn moves by black should avoided in the opening, unless part of specific opening theory as it weakens the defence of the king. After that, I managed to maintain a positional advantage, and then material advantage until the end of the game.

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/47356781105

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2022.05.26"]
[Round "?"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "Kapilgautan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C25"]
[WhiteElo "1255"]
[BlackElo "1207"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[EndTime "19:32:17 PDT"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 f6 4. Nf3 exf4 5. d4 d6 6. Bb5 Ne7 7. Bxf4 Bg4 8. O-O Bxf3 9. Rxf3 a6 10. Bxc6+ Nxc6 11. e5 fxe5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Re3 Qf6 14. Nd5 Qf7 15. Bxe5 dxe5 16. Rxe5+ Be7 17. Nxc7+ Kf8 18. Nxa8 Bf6 19. Re3 g6 20. Rf3 Kg7 21. Nb6 Qe7 22. Nd5 Qc5+ 23. Ne3 Bd4 24. Qe2 Re8 25. Re1 b5 26. c3 Bxe3+ 27. Rxe3 Rxe3 28. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 29. Rxe3 Kf6 30. Kf2 a5 31. a3 b4 32. c4 bxa3 33. bxa3 a4 34. c5 1-0