In 516,568 Lichess games from September 2026, rated 900 to 1700, you score 53.4% with the Vienna Game. After 1. , you play 2.: the knight guards your e4 pawn and stays out of the way of your f-pawn, which is ready to advance with 3.. Players rated 2200 or more online score 52.3% with it.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
55 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 2., the most common reply at your level is , in 36 in 100 games, followed by in 29. Among players rated 2200 or more online the favorite is , in 52 in 100, which attacks your e4 pawn. Against , the most played move at your level is 3., in 38 in 100 games, yet 3. scores 59 in 100 for you, against 51.8. Strong players split their games almost evenly between 3., 3. and 3..
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35.7% | 52.0% | 38.0% | 37.3% | |
| 29.0% | 53.6% | 52.2% | 62.7% | |
| 10.5% | 52.5% | 3.0% | no data | |
| 9.6% | 51.4% | 3.5% | no data | |
| 4.7% | 52.3% | 0.8% | no data | |
| 4.1% | 53.4% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.3% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.7% | 51.8% | 25.7% | 9.0% | |
| 30.0% | 59.0% | 26.7% | 10.8% | |
| 15.8% | 52.4% | 25.2% | 34.2% | |
| 6.9% | 49.9% | 1.0% | no data | |
| 2.9% | 50.6% | 4.5% | 27.0% | |
| 1.2% | 52.6% | 15.5% | 18.9% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.0% | 64.2% | 4.2% | no data | |
| 20.9% | 52.4% | 8.9% | no data | |
| 17.2% | 59.8% | 2.4% | no data | |
| 10.8% | 49.5% | 84.0% | 100.0% | |
| 4.2% | 53.4% | 0.4% | no data | |
| 3.6% | 60.2% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79.8% | 50.1% | 88.4% | 100.0% | |
| 11.7% | 50.2% | 7.4% | no data | |
| 3.2% | 43.6% | 3.2% | no data | |
| 2.5% | 45.3% | no data | no data | |
| 0.9% | 57.9% | 0.3% | no data | |
| 0.6% | 33.3% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.7% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90.2% | 49.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| 4.1% | 55.5% | no data | no data | |
| 4.1% | 54.7% | no data | no data | |
| 0.6% | 76.5% | no data | no data | |
| 0.6% | 54.7% | no data | no data | |
| 0.5% | 75.0% | no data | no data |
The strong players' line is 3. 4. 5. 6.. Your goal is to open the f-file with your f-pawn, which the c3 knight leaves free to move. Your opponent hits back in the center with the d-pawn. You end up with a pawn on e5 that grabs space, a half-open f-file for your queen, and one knight fewer on each side.
3. attacks the e5 pawn. does not defend it: it counterattacks your e4 pawn, now hit by the d5 pawn and the f6 knight and defended only by your c3 knight. 4. takes on e5, and that pawn attacks the f6 knight. At your level opponents answer in 90 in 100 games.
With the knight settles in the center, backed by the d5 pawn, and from there it hits your c3 knight and your d2 pawn. 5. attacks that knight a second time, together with the c3 knight, and also guards c3 along the third rank. The queen also looks down the now empty f-file toward f7. trades the knights and 6. recaptures with the pawn toward the center. Your e5 pawn has no black piece attacking it, your queen eyes the d5 pawn, and your a1 rook gets the half-open b-file.
At your level this sequence hardly ever comes up. After 3., only 11 in 100 opponents play , against 84 in 100 strong players. Far more common is , in 40 in 100 games: your opponent keeps the pawn, but their own pawn leaves e5 and the center is left to your e4 pawn. There you score 64 in 100.
Against , the most common reply at your level, the plan changes. If you continue 3. , the e5 pawn is defended only by the c6 knight, and 4. takes it: if , 5. forks the c5 bishop and the e5 knight.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 13,345 | 52.4% | |
| 8,483 | 26.5% | |
| 2,270 | 84.1% | |
| 1,891 | 88.4% | |
| 1,670 | 100.0% | |
| 1,639 | 50.2% | |
| 805 | 40.7% | |
| 325 | 64.9% |
After 3. , 4. is an inaccuracy. Your bishop eyes f7, but you pass up 4.: only the c6 knight guards e5, and 5. wins the piece back by hitting bishop and knight. After 5. the game turns quiet. You play it in 39.8 in 100 games and score 47.9 in 100, against 60.
40 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 47.9%; scores 60.0%.
After 3. , 4. is an inaccuracy. hits your bishop and your f3 knight, and after 5. the bishop has to drop back with 6.. With 7. the knights come off and your bishop has spent two moves reaching c4. You score 50.2 in 100, against 60 with 4..
20 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 50.2%; scores 60.0%.
After 3. , 4. is a mistake. With no black bishop on c5, the trick fails: after 5., the knight escapes with , and 6. leaves you with a pawn for the knight. At your level it rarely gets punished: you play it in 2.5 in 100 games and score 54.1 in 100, against 52.6 with 4..
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 54.1%; scores 52.6%.
After , 3. is an inaccuracy. With no knight on f6 to harass, your opponent takes with and, after 4., holds the f4 pawn with . You are a pawn down. At your level it is barely punished: you play it in 9.4 in 100 games and score 55.1 in 100, against 51.2 with 3..
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.1%; scores 51.2%.
After 3. , 4. is an inaccuracy. It hems in your f1 bishop and passes up 4.. After 5. 6., your opponent gets in , hitting your e4 pawn. You play it in 13.4 in 100 games and score 48.7 in 100, against 60.
13 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.7%; scores 60.0%.
After 3. , 4. is a mistake. Your opponent takes with and you are a pawn down. After 5., hits your undefended bishop, and 6. strikes in the center. Better is 4., attacking the f6 knight: you score 64.1 in 100, against 55.3.
33 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.3%; scores 64.1%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 177,023 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 74,284 |
| Not castled | 68,277 | |
| Not castled | 52,226 | |
| 49,846 | ||
| 39,008 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | ||
| 22 | ||
| Not castled | 10 | |
| Not castled | 8 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 6 |
| Not castled | 6 |
1. 2. 3. · 78,981 amateur games · 18 over the board
With 3. your bishop aims at f7 instead of pushing the f-pawn: you score 53.3 in 100.
1. 2. · 71,156 amateur games · 9 over the board
With the knight guards e5; after 3. , look for 4.. You score 51.6 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 68,504 amateur games · 12 over the board
After , 3. attacks the e5 pawn: you score 58.8 in 100.
1. 2. · 57,732 amateur games · 2 over the board
brings the bishop out against your f2 pawn: you score 51.4 in 100.
1. 2. · 28,843 amateur games · 30 over the board
attacks your e4 pawn, which your c3 knight defends.
1. 2. 3. · 26,427 amateur games · 5 over the board
After , 3. offers your f-pawn: you score 54.9 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 8,817 amateur games
Against , which props up the e5 pawn, 3. attacks it: you score 55.1 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 4,888 amateur games · 4 over the board
After , 3. takes b4 away from your opponent's bishop: you score 50.5 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 4,212 amateur games · 21 over the board
Against , 3. readies a bishop on g2 to cover e4: you score 51.6 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · 3,964 amateur games · 4 over the board
After 3., your opponent captures on e4 with , and you score 48.3 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · C26
3,050 amateur games · White's score: 51.1%
1. 2. 3. · C25
1,466 amateur games · White's score: 44.6%
1. 2. 3. · C25
682 amateur games · White's score: 52.3%
1. 2. 3. · C25
352 amateur games · White's score: 47.0%
1. 2. 3. · C25
83 amateur games · White's score: 59.0%
1. 2. 3. · C25
33 amateur games · White's score: 56.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C29
24 amateur games · White's score: 33.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C26
3 amateur games · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C27
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C25
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C25
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · C25
It is 1. 2.: you bring out the queen's knight before the king's knight, guard your e4 pawn and keep the f-pawn free for 3.. At your level it turns up in almost 2 in 100 games. Your result barely moves between 900 and 1700, ranging from 53 to 53.6 in 100.
The Vienna Game is the whole family after 2.. The Vienna Gambit is the sharp branch 3., where you offer your f-pawn to open the f-file. It scores better for you: 58.8 in 100. When opponents take with , in 40 in 100 games, you score 64 in 100.
After 3. , look for 4.: if the c6 knight takes back, 5. hits bishop and knight at once. You score 60 in 100 with it. At your level 4., 4. and 4. are more popular, and all stay below 51. And do not push 3. without a black knight on f6.