Frankenstein-Dracula variant
The Frankenstein-Dracula variant is a complicated side variant of a chess opening . It usually develops from the Viennese game , but can also arise from the runner game by changing moves . In the opening system of the ECO codes , the variant is classified under the key C27.
history
The name, which is mainly used in English-speaking countries, goes back to the correspondence chess master Tim Harding, who coined it in 1973 in his book Bishop's Opening . In 1978 Baruch Harold Wood published a short story in Chess magazine in which he processed the idea of a chess game between Frankenstein and Dracula in literary terms. He went back to a game played in 1974 between Jacob Ost-Hansen and John Nunn , in which this variant came on the board. However, this train sequence was already known in the early 20th century.
Due to the exciting and unclear entanglements that can arise from it in the further course of the game, the Frankenstein-Dracula variant is often the subject of themed tournaments in correspondence chess , in which all games must begin with a predetermined sequence of moves.
The basic position of the Frankenstein-Dracula variant
a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H | ||
8th | 8th | ||||||||
7th | 7th | ||||||||
6th | 6th | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4th | 4th | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | G | H |
- 1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5
- 2. Nb1-c3 Ng8-f6
- 3. Bf1-c4 Nf6xe4
A slip sacrifice, after 4. Nc3xe4 d7 – d5 Black wins the piece back with an advantage. Better for white is:
- 4. Qd1-h5 Ne4-d6
Forced to cover f7. After Qd8 – e7 ?? or Qd8 – f6 ?? 5. Nc3xe4 no longer goes d7 – d5 and Black has lost a piece.
- 5. Bc4 – b3 !?
White can also win back the pawn with 5. Qh5xe5 +. This move is sharper. Black can now claim the pawn e5, but will then lose the Ra8. An alternative is 5.… Bf8 – e7.
- 5.… Nb8 – c6
Now the need for White to create a replacement for the pawn and the threat of mating against f7 force the next moves on both sides:
- 6. Nc3-b5 g7-g6
- 7. Qh5-f3 f7-f5
- 8. Qf3-d5 Qd8-e7
- 9. Nb5xc7 + Ke8-d8
- 10. Nc7xa8
Black has sacrificed a rook, but will win the Sa8 and then has one quality less - but he has compensation. To
- 10.… b7 – b6 (the undisputed best move)
branch variants; common moves for White are about 11. d2 – d3, 11. Sa8xb6 or 11. Qd5 – f3.
In the supplement to the Handbuch des Schachspiels , edited by Jacques Mieses in 1921 , the variant 11. Qd5 – f3 (11. Ng1 – f3 Bc8 – b7 with a strong attack) Bc8 – b7 12. Sa8xb6 a7xb6 13. d2 – d3 Nc6 – d4 14. Qf3 –H3 f5 – f4! indicated with black advantage. Nowadays, however, 11. d2 – d3 is considered better.
Web links
- Tim Harding: Frankenstein and Dracula at the Chessboard ( Memento from May 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- Game of Ost-Hansen against Nunn