Caissa Codex
C25

Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation

Chess diagram: Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation after 4. Nf3

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

828,073 games: White 52.2% / Draw 3.8% / Black 44.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
197,490197K
180,698181K
116,056116K
90,73891K
74,34074K
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Cunningham Defense 69,56170K
32,38632K
18,07518K

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.29 The position is about equal

Best play: 4... g5 5. g3 Bg7 6. d4 d6 7. d5 Ne5 8. gxf4 gxf4 9. Bxf4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

By rating

The stronger the players, the worse this line does for White: White scores 55% under 1400, 51% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).

PlayersGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400 334K
1400–1799 563K
1800–2199 469K
2200 and up 60K
Masters, over the board 158

Master games

Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026

Overview

Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation (ECO C25, Open Games) is a gambit in the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 (4 moves).

In 828,073 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.2%, Black 44.0% and 3.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…g5, in 24% of those games.

It branches into 4 named variations; the most played are Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit and Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Cunningham Defense. In all, 8 named lines continue from it.

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How to play against the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation

The most played answer, 4…g5, also scores best for Black: 50.9%, with Black winning 49.2% and White 47.5% of 197K games. Of the main answers, 4…Bc5 scores lowest: 42.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…g5.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Popularity by year

The Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation has gained ground since 2016: 0.035% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.025%.

Numbers by year
YearShare of gamesGames
20160.025%9,076
20170.027%14,841
20180.029%23,074
20190.028%34,841
20200.028%80,746
20210.031%122,733
20220.032%119,585
20230.034%126,168
20240.034%120,389
20250.035%121,660
2026 (Jan–Apr)0.038%41,227

Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling

Variations (4)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…exf4 4. Nf3, the position after Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

All 8 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation (C25)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-gambit-with-max-lange-defense-knight-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-gambit-with-max-lange-defense-knight-variation