Caissa Codex
C25

Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit

Chess diagram: Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit after 4. d4

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

95,916 games: White 52.2% / Draw 3.8% / Black 43.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
23,54524K
23,25723K
16,28316K
14,38714K
5,8635,863
3,8353,835
3,7933,793
1,2751,275

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.32 Black is slightly better

Best play: 4... Qh4+ 5. Ke2 Qh5+ 6. Nf3 g5 7. Nd5 Kd8 8. Kf2 Nb4 9. Be2

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: Steinitz Gambit (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. d4 (4 moves).

In 95,916 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.2%, Black 43.9% and 3.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…g5, in 25% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit, Main Line. In all, 5 named lines continue from it.

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

4…Qh4+ scores best for Black: 54.9%, with Black winning 53.2% and White 43.3% of 23K games. The most played, 4…g5, scores 43.4% in 24K games, and 4…Nf6 scores lowest: 40.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…Qh4+.

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)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…exf4 4. d4, the position after Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense also goes on to:

All 5 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense: Steinitz Gambit (C25)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-gambit-with-max-lange-defense-steinitz-gambit

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