Career
In 1858-1864, Lange was an editor of the Deutsche Schachzeitung (German Chess Newsletter). He was second President of the German Chess Federation (Dictionary of Scientific Biography). The statistical website Chessmetrics.com estimates that Lange was one of the top ten players in the world in the 1860s.
He took an extended sabbatical from tournament chess from 1868 until his final appearance in the third Dictionary of Scientific Biography-Congress at Nuremberg 1883.
Lange finished in a tie for 17th–19th place, which was last. His ability had clearly deteriorated as a result of his long layoff but Chessmetrics.com places him among the top 40 to 50 players in the world in the 1880s on the basis of this result.
Lange should not be confused with the lesser but identically named Doctor Max Lange (1883–1923), who is generally referenced as Max Lange 2 in chess literature and whose best known tournaments were Hilversum 1903 and the 14th Dictionary of Scientific Biography-Congress at Coburg 1904. The variation of the Two Knights Defense 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O–O Bc5 6.e5 is called the Max Lange Attack.
The Vienna Game variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 is known as the Max Lange Defense.