I LOVE this line in the Max Lange, Vienna Gambit!

Hey there chessers!

I've recently gone on another opening overhaul after a bit of a rating tilt, and chosen one that I've never ended up playing but it's always just lingering there as one of my favorites that I'd like to switch to. So now that I have and started learning in-depth, I've found one of the more uncommon lines to be one I like. Here's a bit on why I love the line so much:

Overview

The Vienna Game starts out playing 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. For the Max Lange, we go to move 2 when Black responds with Nc6, copying my move from before. This creates a symmetrical position that plays much different than the more common Falkbeer variation 2. ... Nf6.

This variation poses a different problem for playing the Vienna Gambit (3. f4). In the Falkbeer the positions become tricky and if you follow the mainline, but the Max Lange keeps the h4-e8 diagonal open for the queen to attack the king if we move our f-pawn, creating a much different set up from it's counterpart.

So now when I play 3. f4, instead of countering, the best move is to just accept the pawn gambit. Because of the open diagonal for the queen to slide to h4 and attack the king, White first either has to defend the h4 square (typically with Nf3), or play d4 anyway (for some reason this is the engine move... 🤔) and bongcloud the king, as 4. g3? leads to 4. ... fxg3 with the h pawn pinned to the rook and the queen still aiming at the king, setting up for a revealed attack and fork for promotion if White disregards it (see diagram below):

So Black can then use this extra move to help strengthen its position and develop more (protecting the pawn with g5? weakens the kingside, and Bd3?! blocks the d-pawn, not letting the queenside bishop get out unless they fianchetto on the queenside), overall gaining a small advantage over White.

However, we return to the world of playing and most people rated around my level don't intensively study every opening they face. The Vienna is much less common than say the Italian or Ruy Lopez, which are already both enough to have to deal with.

This leads most of my opponents to decline the Gambit with 3. ... d6. This leads to several problems though, and when I see this move, I can't wait to DESTROY the opponent. So without further ado: here is the line.

The Actual Line

So after way to much blabbering it's time to take a look at all of the things White can exploit after Black's opening slip-up (as well as after 4. Nf3 and usually followed by Nf6). Here, it's tricky for Black when we play 5. Bb5, even though it's not technically the best move. The diagram below will explain it better:

As you can see I'm now threatening to win the e5 pawn, the bitter price of not accepting the gambit. There are ways to save the pawn, namely Qe2, but opponents at my level (myself included) usually don't notice how smaller moves can affect other pieces or pawns that they've already "protected".

Here my opponents gives up the pawn with the attempted kick a6, but I gladly exchange and win the pawn. You can now see the game below:

Too easy! Love that line! Now the engine did provide the alternative fxe5, but that led to more complicated lines including White later on playing Nd4, not taking the free pawn, so I feel like my line was just more straightforward and winning.

Farewell

Hey everybody, thanks for reading this blog! I hope you enjoyed it and appreciated the line just as much as I do! Until I blog again, farewell chessers!