The Max Lange Attack is a chess opening

Chess opening

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...

 that can arise from many different opening lines, including the Two Knights Defense

Two Knights Defense

The Two Knights Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves: in the late 16th century, this line of the Italian Game was extensively developed in the 19th century....

, Petroff's Defense, Scotch Gambit, Bishop's Opening

Bishop's Opening

The Bishop's Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves:White attacks Black's f7-square and prevents Black from advancing his d-pawn to d5....

, Center Game

Center Game

The Center Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The game usually continues 3.Qxd4 Nc6, developing with a gain of tempo due to the attack on the white queen....

, and Giuoco Piano

Giuoco Piano

The Giuoco Piano is a chess opening beginning with the moves:Common alternatives to 3...Bc5 include 3...Nf6 , 3...Be7 , or 3...d6 .-History:...

. Two of the most commonly seen move orders are 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 (the Two Knights Defense) 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Bc5 6.e5 and 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 (the Scotch Gambit) Bc5 5.0-0 Nf6 6.e5. It is named for the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 master Max Lange

Max Lange

Max Lange was a German chess player and composer.In 1858–1864, he was an editor of the Deutsche Schachzeitung . He was a founder of Westdeutscher Schachbund , and an organizer of the 9th DSB–Congress at Leipzig 1894...

, who suggested it in 1854.

After 6.e5, Black has two main replies. 6...Ng4 is playable, but rarely seen. More common is 6...d5, when the main line continues 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 (9...Qxf6?? 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qh5+ followed by 12.Qxc5 is a notorious trap) 10.Nc3 Qf5 (10...dxc3?? 11.Qxd5 wins, since 11...Bxd5 is illegal) 11.Nce4 0-0-0 with complex play.

An alternative for White is 8.fxg7 Rg8 9.Bg5, analysed by Lev Gutman and Stefan Bucker in Kaissiber, which they consider to be good for White. Black's usual response is 9...Be7 10.Bxe7 Kxe7.

Illustrative game

H. Vatter-John Nunn

John Nunn

John Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....

, 1986 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Bc5 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 O-O-O 12.g4 Qe5 13.fxg7 Rhg8 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bh6 d3 16.c3 d2 17.Re2 Rd3 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Rxd2 Ne5 20.Rxd3 cxd3 21.Kg2 Qd5+ 22.Kg3 Qd6 23.Bf4 Rxg7 24.h3 Rf7 25.Qa4 Qc6 26.Qxc6 Nxc6 ½–½