Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
79,839 games: White 44.4% / Draw 3.1% / Black 52.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 25,26925K | ||
| 20,70721K | ||
| 17,07317K | ||
| 7,4507,450 | ||
| 4,4374,437 | ||
| 1,2681,268 | ||
| 910910 | ||
| 527527 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
−1.56 Black is clearly better
Even so, White scores 46.0% here in practice: wins plus half the draws in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500.
Best play: 5... g4 6. Ne5 Qh4+ 7. Ke2 Nxe5 8. dxe5 Bc5 9. Qe1 f3+ 10. Kd1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit (ECO C25, Open Games) is a gambit in the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Knight Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 5. d4 (5 moves).
In 79,839 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.4%, Black 52.4% and 3.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…g4, in 32% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Vienna Game: Pierce Gambit, Rushmere Attack.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit
The most played answer, 5…g4, also scores best for Black: 57.7%, with Black winning 56.4% and White 40.9% of 25K games. Of the main answers, 5…Bb4 scores lowest: 41.2%. Stockfish's first choice is also 5…g4.
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
Variations (1)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Pierce Gambit (C25)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-gambit-with-max-lange-defense-pierce-gambit