Vienna Game

1. 1

   Knight first, f4 later

   1.e4 e5 2.Nc3

   2.Nc3 protects e4, controls d5 and keeps every option open: f2-f4 (a gambit), Bc4 (pressure on f7) or g3 (a quiet fianchetto). Unlike the King's Gambit, White waits for Black to commit before choosing the plan.

2. 2

   The f4 break

   1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4

   The heart of the Vienna: White attacks the e5 pawn with the f-pawn, aiming to open the f-file and push e5 to kick the f6 knight. With the knight already on c3, a black ...d5 counter is less effective than against the King's Gambit, but f4 also opens the e1-h4 diagonal to White's own king.

3. 3

   Black's answer: ...d5 and a knight on e4

   2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4

   The principled reply is to hit back in the centre. After 4.fxe5 Nxe4 Black's knight is superbly centralised, and White's e5 pawn takes f6 and d6 away from Black. Both sides now fight over that knight: White with Nf3, Qe2 or Qf3, Black with ...Be7, ...c5 and ...Nc6.

4. 4

   Bc4: pressure on f7

   1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4

   The Stanley Variation aims the bishop at f7 before deciding on f4. Black can take on e4 at once (the fork trick 3...Nxe4, which leads to the wild Frankenstein-Dracula after 4.Qh5), develop with 3...Bc5 or 3...Nc6, or play ...Bb4 (the Reversed Spanish).

5. 5

   The Spielmann setup: d3, then f4

   2...Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 d6 5.f4

   White first secures e4 with d3, then plays f4 with the whole army behind it. This quiet-looking system (the Vienna Hybrid, shared with the Bishop's Opening) is one of the most dangerous attacking setups at club level, because White follows up with f5, Nf3, Qe1 and a kingside pawn storm.

6. 6

   The weak spot after f4: f2 and g1

   3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 d6 5.f4 Ng4

   Once the f-pawn has moved, f2 and g1 are defended only by the king and the g1 knight. A black knight on g4 and a bishop on c5 aim straight at them, and the queen can join with ...Qh4+. Almost every Vienna blunder at club level is a move that ignores this pressure. Objectively 5...Nc6 is Black's best, but 5...Ng4 sets a trap: White must answer 6.f5!, and any natural developing move loses material on f2.

7. 7

   Max Lange Defence: ...Nc6 and the gambit lines

   3...exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng5

   With 2...Nc6 Black can take on f4 without the e-pawn hitting the knight, and hold the pawn with ...g5. White's answer is pure King's Gambit style: h4 to undermine g5, then Ng5 and sometimes Nxf7 (the Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit) or a piece sacrifice with Bc4 and O-O (the Hamppe-Muzio). Wild, old and very tactical.

These are the patterns worth knowing. For the full count, see the Vienna Game mistakes players make most often at each rating.

1. 1

   White (Vienna Gambit): long castling and a kingside pawn storm

   7.dxc3 c5 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.O-O-O Be6

   After trading the e4 knight, White has an extra central pawn on e5, open lines for the pieces and a safe king on c1. The plan is h4, g4 and f5-style play against Black's castled king, with the e5 pawn cramping Black's defence.

2. 2

   Black (Vienna Gambit): hit back on the queenside

   7.dxc3 c5 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.O-O-O Be6

   Black's pieces are well placed and the c-pawn is already on c5. With ...Qa5, ...c4 and ...b5, Black opens lines against White's king on c1 while White attacks on the other side. Whoever is faster usually wins, so Black must not waste a tempo on defence.

3. 3

   White (Spielmann): f4-f5 and the kingside attack

   4...d6 5.f4 Ng4 6.f5 h5 7.Nh3

   After 5.f4 Ng4 6.f5! White gains space, keeps the f-file closed for the moment and prepares Qf3 or Qe1-g3, g4 and a pawn storm. The knight on g4 is annoying but can be chased with Ne3-style manoeuvres; White's main asset is the huge bind on the light squares.

4. 4

   Black (Stanley): equalise with the fork trick

   2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nxe4 d5

   Against 3.Bc4 Black can take on e4 at once: if White takes back with 4.Nxe4, 4...d5 forks the bishop and knight and regains the piece with a free centre. That is why White usually plays 4.Qh5 (the Frankenstein-Dracula) instead. Knowing this trick is the simplest way for Black to avoid the Spielmann attacking setups.

5. 5

   Black (Mieses): ...d5 and easy development

   5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bd6 7.Nf3 O-O 8.O-O

   Against the fianchetto Black simply takes the centre with ...d5. After the trades White has the bishop pair's long diagonal and a slightly weakened queenside; Black has a comfortable, active game and plans ...Nc6, ...Re8 and ...Bf5 or ...Be6.