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I haven’t played many Vienna Gambits in the Vienna Game, Max Lange Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4), but it’s quite a winning line at the beginner-intermediate level. Indeed, according to the Lichess community database of lower-rated games of blitz and rapid it is the line against the Max Lange Defense with the BEST win ratio at 54% (White) vs 42% (Black).

This game started with Black being tricky with the Nimzowitsch Defense (1. e4 Nc6) and in this position, I usually play (2. Nc3) basically to bait Black into the Vienna Game, Max Lange Defense. The reason I do this is that this is the opening I’m most familiar with. It works (2… e5) and I decided to play the Max Lange Vienna Gambit rather than my usual Bc4.

Black declines the gambit with development (3… Bc5). There is a trap here for the unfamiliar and Black stumbled! The simple fact is that Black’s knight doesn’t defend their e-pawn in this position. After captures-captures (4. fxe5 Nxe5), I have d4, forking Black’s bishop and knight! So in the opening, Black loses a full piece with an evaluation of around [+5].

We enter a middlegame with White controlling the centre. I trade a knight for Black’s bishop, peeling open the c-file exposing Black’s king which had castled long. Black infiltrates with their queen, with an attack on my queenside rook. I opt to sacrifice that rook, and Black blunders by capturing. How so? My rook on a1 wasn’t participating in the game previously, and Black’s queen on a1 is simply taken herself out of the game. It no longer exerts any influence in either attack or defence, and in a position where White is hunting the black king, this is not good!

A little shuffle, and my queen strikes down the opened c-file. Black resigns on move 21, one move from checkmate. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to try the Vienna Gambit in the Max Lange Defense. It’s technically not as good as the Falkbeer Vienna Gambit but is the most winning move in the Max Lange.

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/89603399505

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.09.28"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "sakthivelsamiyappan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C25"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Vienna-Game-Max-Lange-Vienna-Gambit-3...Bc5-4.fxe5"]
[UTCDate "2023.09.28"]
[UTCTime "01:28:14"]
[WhiteElo "1316"]
[BlackElo "1165"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "01:28:14"]
[EndDate "2023.09.28"]
[EndTime "01:42:44"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/89603399505"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/305258785.e24d8f72.50x50o.ec5735462a38.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "69"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:07.8]} 1... Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:05.3]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:09.1]}
2... e5 {[%clk 0:15:08.6]} 3. f4 {[%clk 0:15:15.6] Nimzowitsch Defense $37 Vienna
Game: Max Lange Defense, Vienna Gambit [-0.4]} 3... Bc5 {[%clk 0:14:56.2]
[+0.1]} 4. fxe5 {[%clk 0:15:19.8]} 4... Nxe5 $4 {[%clk 0:15:03.7][%c_arrow
d7d6;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;d6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A mistake that loses a pieces [+4]}
5. d4 $1 {[%clk 0:15:28.4][%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}
5... Bb4 {[%clk 0:14:53.1]} 6. dxe5 {[%clk 0:15:36.1]} 6... Qe7 $6 {[%clk
0:15:00][%c_arrow
d8h4;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;h4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h4;persistent;false][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Inaccuracy [+5.2]} 7. Nf3 {[%clk
0:15:43.4]} 7... d6 {[%clk 0:15:06.8]} 8. Bb5+ {[%clk 0:14:47.9]} 8... Bd7
{[%clk 0:15:08]} 9. Bxd7+ {[%clk 0:14:54.9]} 9... Qxd7 {[%clk 0:15:09.1]} 10. a3
{[%clk 0:14:10]} 10... Bc5 {[%clk 0:15:08.8]} 11. b4 {[%clk 0:13:47.7]} 11...
Bb6 {[%clk 0:15:07.3]} 12. Nd5 {[%clk 0:13:20.9]} 12... O-O-O {[%clk 0:15:02.8]}
13. Nxb6+ {[%clk 0:13:27.5]} 13... cxb6 {[%clk 0:15:05.3]} 14. O-O {[%clk
0:13:20]} 14... Qc6 {[%clk 0:14:51.3]} 15. Qd5 {[%clk 0:12:23.1]} 15... Qc3
{[%clk 0:14:12.2]} 16. exd6 $1 {[%clk 0:11:59.8][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 16... Qxa1 $4 {[%clk
0:14:14.6][%c_effect a1;square;a1;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g8f6;keyPressed;none;from;g8;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false] A blunder [+6.6 $37
+M9]. The black queen has taken herself out of the game in the corner.} 17.
Ne5 $6 {[%clk 0:11:17.5][%c_arrow
d5c4;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] This was an inaccuracy [+5.6]. I
saw Qc4+ but couldn't see the checkmate line, so I decided to advance another
piece. I'm still completely winning, but there is no longer forced check mate.}
17... Nf6 {[%clk 0:13:26.6]} 18. Qc4+ $1 {[%clk 0:11:00.2][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 18... Kb8 {[%clk 0:13:23.9]} 19.
Nxf7 {[%clk 0:10:19.6]} 19... Rhe8 $4 {[%clk 0:12:56.1][%c_effect
e8;square;e8;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d8c8;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;c8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c8;persistent;false] A blunder as there
are no longer enough defenders on the back rank [+M5]} 20. Nxd8 {[%clk
0:10:05.8]} 20... Rxe4 {[%clk 0:12:33.6]} 21. Qc7+ {[%clk 0:10:10.1][%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Winner,b8;square;b8;type;ResignBlack] Black resigns as
checkmate will arrive next turn, GG $1} 1-0