The Vienna Game

P-K4

P-K4

Kt-QB3White leaves the "Épine Dorsale"for the Vienna, developing his (her) Queen's Knight to make ..P-Q4 less easy while planning a 3.P-KB4 sacrifice (similar to the King's Gambit) so as to open the f-file and lure Black off-centre.The risk is that Black, being unattacked for now, still has time to counter in the centre for ..P-Q4, securing full equality.

Kt-KB3

White developed his QKt first, planning 3.P-KB4 (a form of King's Gambit) to lure Black off-centre.
Black in aggressive reply develops his King's Knight to threaten White's KP (the hallmark of any Berlin) and avoids the Vienna Gambit line, building up control of his own Q4(d5) for 3..P-Q4.

P-B4

Black's KKt threatened White's KP, for 3..P-Q4.
White (best) plays P-KB4 to lure Black off-centre, offering a pawn sacrifice (like a King's Gambit) so as to take the centre by P-Q4 (or 3..PxP,4.P-K5) and exert strong pressure on the KB-file.

P-Q4

White's KBP advance hoped to lure Black off-centre.
Black declines White's KB4(f4) pawn gambit (3..PxP acceptance being a bad move) and counters best by advancing his QPawn to Q4(d5) to attack White's KP. Inexperienced players often play a supportive 3..P-Q3 though it prevents KB development.

BPxP

Black declined White's KBP gambit and advanced his QP to Q4(d5) to counter-attack White's KP.
White's KBP (best) captures Black's KP so as to attack Black's KKt, compelling it to recapture by 4..KtxP (or else retreat back to base).

KtxP

White's KBPxKP attacked Black's Kt on KB3(f6).
Black's king's-side Knight under threat is compelled to exchange pawns, (or else retreat totally back to base), recapturing by KtxK4P.

Kt-B3

Black's king's-side Knight under threat exchanged pawns by removing White's rear doubled K4P.
White now develops his King's Knight to support his Q4/K5 (d4/e5) centre, planning 6.P-Q4

B-K2

White's king's knight supports his Q4/K5 centre.
Black develops his King's Bishop to K2(e7), enabling early castling. Regarded as the main continuation of the Falkbeer line.

P-Q4

White now advances his Queen's Pawn to the centre, to support his K5(e5) pawn.

0-0

Black castles on the king's-side, bringing his KR into play on the half-open KB-file (ie. f-file).

B-Q3

White develops his King's Bishop to Q3(d3) to attack Black's central knight, and enables castling.

P-KB4

Black, with no safe retreat square for his knight, advances his KBPawn to KB4(f5) to defend it.

PxP

White removes Black's KB4(f5) pawn en passant with his K5(e5) pawn, and attacks Black's bishop.

BxP

Black removes White's new KBP with his K2(e7) Bishop, which now threatens White's QP.

0-0

White castles on the K-side in advance of further knight and pawn exchanges in the centre.

Kt-B3

Black develops his Queen's Knight, increasing the threat against White's Q4P.

KtxKt

White's QKt starts a knight exchange on K4(e4), threatening Black's dark bishop as a result.

PxKt

Black recoups the knight loss immediately with his Q4Pawn, and now forks White's bishop and KKt.

BxP

White's Q3Bishop under attack starts a third pawn exchange, capturing Black's K5(e4)P

KtxP

Black recaptures by taking White's Q4P with his QB3 Kt, still attacking the KKt for a level game.