Vienna Game: Stanley Variation
Chess opening · ECO C26 · 5 half-moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4
The Vienna Game: Stanley Variation is reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Vienna Game: Falkbeer Variation with 3. Bc4.
How often it is played
The Vienna Game: Stanley Variation and its variations appeared in 0.18% of games — 5,322 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 198 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 51%, 3.7% were drawn and Black won 46%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at -0.01 — which is level. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit | 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 | 0.17% |
| Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense | 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 | 0.44% |
| King's Knight Opening | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 | 15% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop's Opening: Vienna Hybrid, Spielmann Attack | 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 | 0.04% |
| Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Reversed Spanish | 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bb4 | 0.03% |
| Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula Variation | 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 | 0.02% |
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