Vienna Game: Max Lange Fyfe Philidor Countergambit

Vienna Game: Max Lange – Fyfe, Philidor Countergambit

Definition

A spectacular sub-line of the Vienna Game (ECO C25) that strings together several historical ideas: the Max Lange Defence (…Nf6 on move 2), the Vienna Gambit (3.f4), the Fyfe Gambit (4.fxe5), and finally Black’s daring Philidor Countergambit move …Nxe4 on move 4. Both sides are willing to sacrifice material for rapid development and central control.

Typical Move Order

1. e4 e5
2. Nc3 Nf6 (Max Lange Defence)
3. f4 d5 (Vienna Gambit declined)
4. fxe5 Nxe4 (Fyfe Gambit accepted & Philidor Countergambit)

After 5.Nf3 or 5.d3 the game explodes into double-edged play.

Strategic Themes

• Central pawn sacrifice: Black parts with the e-pawn to occupy e4 and open lines.
• Pressure on f2: …Qh4+, …Bc5 and …Nf2+ tricks abound.
• Tempo wars: Each tempo counts; a single slow move can be fatal.
• Opposite-wing castling: White often castles long and storms the kingside pawns; Black does the opposite.

Historical Notes

• Max Lange (1832-1899) analysed this defence in 1859.
• John Fyfe, a 19th-century Scot, popularised 4.fxe5.
• The “Philidor Countergambit” tag is borrowed from Philidor Defence lines where Black gambits a pawn for activity.

Illustrative Miniature

The following nine-move skirmish highlights Black’s risky setup:

After 19 ply White threatens 0-0-0 and Re1 when Black’s king is stuck in the centre with material still down.

Typical Plans

• White
  • Consolidate the extra pawn with d4 & c3.
  • Castle queenside and launch g- and h-pawns at the enemy king.
  • Trade the knight on e4 to defuse tactics.
• Black
  • Develop quickly: …Bc5, …Nc6, …0-0, …f6.
  • Exploit pins along the e- and f-files (…Qh4+, …Bg4).
  • Head for an endgame where activity compensates for the pawn.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Appears in fewer than 0.02 % of Mega-database games—true surprise value!
• During a live stream IM Lawrence Trent dubbed 4…Nxe4 “caviar for the daring,” prompting chat to nickname it the “Caviar Countergambit.”
• Because the full name is a mouthful, forum users often abbreviate it to “VGMFLPC.”

When to Use It

• You relish razor-sharp, tactical battles from move 4.
• Your opponents rely on theoretical main lines and may be lured off-book.
• You are prepared for concrete engine-checked preparation; bluff alone is insufficient.

Further Study

• ECO C25 Vienna chapters
• “Dangerous Weapons: Vienna Gambits” (ChessBase DVD)
• Max Lange’s original analyses in Handbuch des Schachspiels, 1859