Vienna Game, Frankenstein–Dracula Variation

The Frankenstein–Dracula Variation is a chess opening for Black, usually considered a variation of the Vienna Game, beginning with the moves:

1. e4 e5

2. Nc3 Nf6

3. Bc4 Nxe4

or it can be reached by transposition from the Bishop's Opening:

2. Bc4 Nf6

3. Nc3 Nxe4

It involves many complications, but with accurate play is viable for both sides. The variation was given its name by Tim Harding in his 1976 book on the Vienna Game, in which he said that the bloodthirstiness of the character of play was such that "a game between Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster would not seem out of place."

The line is rarely seen in top-level play. Jacob Øst-Hansen deployed it against John Nunn in Teesside 1972. Vasyl Ivanchuk used it against Viswanathan Anand in Roquebrune in 1992 in a game that ended in a draw. Alexei Shirov played it as Black in a simultaneous exhibition in Canada 2011. In 2019, Hikaru Nakamura played it in a rapid game in St. Louis against Jan-Krzysztof Duda.