VIENNA GAME
 1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Bg5




THE GOLDEN DAYS OF THE VIENNA GAME corresponded with the halcyon  years of the city itself. It was the opening staple of many strong players, from Chigorin to Spielmann. But after World War I its popularity waned, as a more modern era of chess openings began. The 1940s and ‘SOs saw a revival of the Vienna, due largely to Weaver Adams, who fashioned it into an ideology: "White to Play and Win." Otherwise it has only seen occasional use.

The Vienna is played with a view to a direct kingside attack. Weaver Adams wrote, "2 Nc3 conforms to most principles, develops naturally, prepares f4, prevents ... d5, keeps the dl-h5 diagonal open, and fortifies the e-pawn." With such virtues there shouldn t be much wrong with the move; yet it fails to do one important thing: threaten something. This lack of impetus allows Black to develop naturally and equalize in a number of ways.

2 ... Nf6 [cols. 1—12) is the most forceful defense. On 3 Bc4 (cols.1—6) Black has a choice of defenses, but most interesting is the line 3 .Nxe4 and 5 ... Nc6 (cols. 1—2), in which Black sacrifices the exchange, leading to complications that remain unsolved despite many years of testing. In cols. 3—6 Black seeks equality by more tranquil methods.

The positional line 3 g3 (cols. 7—8) has been used recently by Spas skyand deserves attention.

3 f4 (cols. 9—12), a delayed King s Gambit, gives Black little troubleafter 3 . . . d5!. White must be careful to avoid getting the worst of it.

Alternatives to 2 . . . Nf 3 are considered in cols. 13—18. Against 2 . . Nc6 White can play 3 f4 with a choice of gambits—the Pierce (col. 14), Hamppe—Allgaier (col. 15) or Steinitz (cols. 16—17). Black gets fine play against all of these, so 3 Bc4 (col. 13) is a sounder choice. 2 . . . Bc5 (col. 18) is unusual and probably allows White an edge.