Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line
The Main Line of the Vienna Gambit is 3...d5, Black's central counterstrike against e4 while the f4 pawn still hangs in the air. White wants to gain space with fxe5 and kick the e4 knight, while Black aims for active pieces and quick pins.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5
- ECO
- C29
- Engine
- −0.28 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 824 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 45.0%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Play 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3, then d4 to support e5 and take central squares from Black's knight.
- Meet ...Bb4 with Bd2 so the c3 knight is defended and a trade on c3 does not wreck the pawns.
- Avoid 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.fxe5 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Qh4+ 7.Kd2, where White's king gets stuck in the center.
Black
- After 4.fxe5 take with ...Nxe4, putting the knight on a strong outpost in the middle of the board.
- Use ...Bc5 or ...Bb4 to pin and pressure the c3 knight, then strike with ...c5 as in the top line.
- If White plays 4.exd5, recapture with ...Nxd5 and look for ...Qh4+ against the loose king.
Plans and pawn structure
The key piece is Black's knight on e4. White aims to undermine it with Nf3, d4 and Bd2, keep the e5 pawn and castle short, using the f-file. Black aims for activity: ...Bb4 pins, ...c5 hits d4, and the e4 knight can trade on c3 to give White doubled pawns. If White gets castled with the e5 wedge, Black must watch kingside pressure. If Black gets ...c5 in with pieces active, White's center starts to crack.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.28: level. Its three top choices for White:
- −0.28 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Bc5 6.d4 Bb4
- −0.45 4.Nf3 exf4 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bb5+ c6
- −0.48 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.fxe5 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Qh4+
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
824 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 45.0%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Vienna Gambit, Paulsen Attack4.fxe5 · 464 games
- Vienna Gambit, Steinitz Variation4.d3 · rare
- Vienna Gambit, Wurzburger Trap4.fxe5 · rare
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense4.exd5 · rare
How to play against it
As White, play 4.fxe5 and develop with Nf3 and d4. Do not rush 4.exd5, which opens the h4-e1 diagonal for ...Qh4+. Keep the c3 knight protected with Bd2 when ...Bb4 comes, and try to castle quickly. Once your king is safe, the half-open f-file and the e5 pawn give you real kingside chances.
Questions
What are the moves of the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?
The Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5. Its ECO code is C29.
Is the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line good for Black?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.28 at depth 20, which is level. In 824 lichess games from our sample, White scored 45.0%. Black's best try for active play, rewarding players who know the ...Bb4 and ...c5 ideas and punishing loose White play.
What is the main idea of the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?
Black meets the Vienna Gambit with a central strike. The knight lands on e4 after 4.fxe5 Nxe4, and Black uses ...Bb4 and ...c5 to fight White's center.
What should White play next?
The engine's first choice is fxe5, with Nf3 and exd5 close behind. 4.fxe5 is most natural: it gains space and lets White develop with Nf3 and d4 while the e4 knight sits in front.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.