scotch game for me
Scotch.
Never played Vienna Game, but recently, as black, I played some games against Vienna with 3.f4: very interesting. I think I’ll try it as white, it could suit me as a new opening to experiment. Indeed, it was my intention to experiment King’s Gambit, starting with unrated games, but Vienna with f4 seemed less risky than KG to me. ( maybe I’m saying an inaccuracy, I’d like to know what experts think about this )
g3 vienna is quite pleasant if black plays for pure piece play. you often can get a bishop pair for free and often end up with more space as well.
the only challenging line is 3...d5 but the game is quite asymmetrical and interesting.
I've been a long-time Vienna enthusiast. Not that the Scotch is bad, but 2. Nf3 does not guarantee a Scotch, as black can play the Petroff with 2.. Nf6
2. Nc3 does not block the f pawn, as Nf3 does, so it can lead to dynamic positions, as is usually the case when the f files are opened- just like it does on the black side of the Schliemann Ruy Lopez with e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5 f5! - my other favorite opening which I find alot more interesting than the typical 3... a6 yawn, Zzzzz.....
There are also the g3 lines in the Vienna, Spassky beat Korchnoi with it in their Jan '78 match.
The point is, play whatever YOU like, and seems to give good results, just because some others might not regard the Vienna too highly, or the Scotch, who cares! You're playing chess for yourself, not for them.
Introduction To The Vienna Game & Gambit...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-the-vienna-game-gambit
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
VIENNA GAME! If I didn't already play it's cousin, the King's Gambit, I'd be inclined to play that instead. Just look at its stats!
on move 2 your winning chances are a MINIMUM of +6%! anyone that'd hate on those numbers is just crazy! It's really hard to find a counter gambit against it too if I recall, trying to switch from the scandinavian to a rousseau, luccini, calabrese, jaenisch/schliemann repertoire. I never found anything with numbers to match those from the black's side.
It has a reputation for being VERY tricky to defend against.
I still love king's gambit because it's DELICIOUS beating higher rated opponents in a dozen or so moves with pitbull Bc4/Nf3 based attacks on f7. some lines transpose. I'm not much of an early Nc3 player. I quit playing the "main line" blackmar diemer which pushes Nc3 before f3, but I score better with f3.
In looking at a BUNCH of chess lines for both black AND white, I noticed that very often the strongest performing lines are the ones with early Nc3/Nc6. even in king's gambit, early Nc3s score really well. the quaade gambit, the "base line" in a recent well regarded chess book in which i guess he tries to transpose to against everything black does performs better than ANY other line by at least 1%, but I still love early Bc4s, even if they're "5% worse OTB"
Both openings are fine, as are several others. It really won't make much difference which (reasonable) opening you play. If you continue to play chess, you will probably change openings several times, if only for variety
Used to be vienna, now I like the scotch gambit, but the scotch with out the gambit is stll cool. they are both great openings.
Vienna is far easier to learn for a practical player who's not time-rich. No faffing about having to learn good lines against stuff like the Philidor Defence/Gambit, the Latvian, the Elephant, Damiano's Defence, and such sidelines; all of which seem to have dedicated and well-booked-up adherents. Apart from a few sharp lines after 1. e4, e5; 2. Nc3, Nf6; 3. Bc4, Nxe4 one can play the Vienna off an overall understanding of position types. [I studiously avoid commenting on which if any of the defences I listed here might be a pile of dung - I don't want to drag this question post off into irrelevance country]
Scotch seems more forcing, and Vienna feels more stratigic. I do play both, but I play Vienna much much more than Scotch. In my rating, If I really want to win, I would go for Vienna. But hey, I am just a dude with an opinion. Try playing both. Both openings are so much fun to play. Oh yeah, try Owen's Defense when you are black. LOL It is also fun to play...