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Vienna Gambit

Gambit48 linesYou play White

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4. White plays the King's Gambit idea with the knight already guarding e4. The aim is to open the f-file and push Black's knight back with e5.

Vienna Gambit after 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4

The idea

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 is the King's Gambit with the knight already on c3, so that 3…exf4?! can be met by 4.e5 and the knight on f6 has to move. White gets a big centre and the open f-file after Nf3, d4 and Bc4, and the pawn on e5 cramps Black for a long time.

What happens next

After 3…d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 (or 5.Qf3) White plays d3 and develops with Bd3 or Be2, castling kingside and using the half-open f-file. The e5 pawn is a thorn; Black's knight on e4 has to be dealt with carefully.

How to play against it

3…d5! is the move: striking in the centre before the e-pawn advances. After 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Be7 or 5…Bc5 Black develops comfortably and the e5 pawn can become a target. Avoid 3…exf4? because of 4.e5 and 3…Nc6? because of 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4.

A key line

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 Nc6 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Ng6 6.e5 Ng8 7.Nf3

More lines

Vienna Gambit: Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.d3
Vienna Gambit: 5.Nf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3
5.Qf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Nxc3 …
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Qh4+ 8.g3 Qe4+ 9.Qxe4 dxe4 10.Ne2 Bd7 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Be3 O-O-O 13.Rf1
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All 48 lines in this gambit

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