Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit
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Statistics from Lichess
2,599 games: White 53.6% / Draw 3.0% / Black 43.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,3021,302 | ||
| 610610 | ||
| 293293 | ||
| 262262 | ||
| 2424 | ||
| 2323 | ||
| 1919 | ||
| 1818 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+2.18 White is clearly better
Best play: 4. exf5 Nf6 5. dxe5 Nxe5 6. Qe2 Qe7 7. Bg5 c6 8. O-O-O Nf7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit (ECO C25, Open Games) is a gambit in the Vienna Game: Fyfe Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. d4 f5 (3 moves).
In 2,599 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.6%, Black 43.4% and 3.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. d5, in 50% of those games.
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 Game: Philidor Countergambit
4. exf5 scores best for White: 59.0%, with White winning 56.9% and Black 38.9% of 262 games. The most played answer, 4. d5, scores lowest: 53.3% in 1,302 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. exf5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit (C25)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-game-philidor-countergambit