The Vienna Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
- 1. e4 e5
- 2. Nc3
White's second move is less common than 2.Nf3, and is also of more recent vintage; a book reviewer wrote in the New York Times in 1888 that "since Morphy only one new opening has been introduced, the 'Vienna'".
The original idea behind 2.Nc3 was to play a type of delayed King's Gambit with f2–f4, but in modern play White often plays more quietly (for example by fianchettoing his king's bishop with g3 and Bg2). Black most often continues with 2...Nf6, but 2...Nc6 is also playable, as is the unusual 2...Bc5 3.Nf3 d6! The opening also harbours the notorious Frankenstein-Dracula Variation (2...Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4), which can become ferociously complex.
Weaver W. Adams, whom Grandmaster Larry Evans described as having an "all or nothing" mentality, famously claimed that the Vienna Game led to a forced win for White. However, Grandmaster Nick de Firmian, in the 15th edition of Modern Chess Openings (MCO-15), concludes that the opening leads to equality with best play by both sides. However, practical experience among NMs and higher would appear to contradict this view and show that White still has a clear edge, with White winning 4.8% more games than Black using this opening.
Famous quotes containing the words vienna and/or game:
“All the terrors of the French Republic, which held Austria in awe, were unable to command her diplomacy. But Napoleon sent to Vienna M. de Narbonne, one of the old noblesse, with the morals, manners, and name of that interest, saying, that it was indispensable to send to the old aristocracy of Europe men of the same connection, which, in fact, constitutes a sort of free- masonry. M. de Narbonne, in less than a fortnight, penetrated all the secrets of the imperial cabinet.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Lyke as a huntsman after weary chace,
Seeing the game from him escapt away,
Sits downe to rest him in some shady place,”
—Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)