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 The opening involves many complications; however, with accurate play the opening 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. Ivanchuk used the opening against Viswanathan Anand in Roquebrune in 1992 in a game that ended in a draw. Alexei Shirov also played it as Black in a simultaneous exhibition in Canada 2011. In 2019, Hikaru Nakamura played the opening in a rapid game in St. Louis against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Annotated moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Another common way of reaching the same position is 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 (Bishop's Opening) Nf6 3.Nc3. 3... Nxe4 This move defines the Frankenstein–Dracula Variation. White cannot win immediately, since 4.Nxe4 brings 4...d5. 4. Qh5 4.Nxe4 d5 is considered to give Black no problems. 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe4 is considered good for Black as long as he avoids 5...Nc6 (5...d5) 6.Qf3+ Kg8 7.Ng5 and White wins (7...Qxg5 8.Qd5). 4.Qh5 threatens Qxf7#, a threat that White continues to renew in this line. 4... Nd6 This move is the only good response to White's dual threats against f7 and e5; 4...Ng5 would be met by 5.d4 Ne6 6.dxe5 with some advantage. Also possible is 6.d5, when 6...g6 loses to 7.dxe6, as in Böök–Heidenheimo 1925. Instead, 6.d5 Nd4 led to very complicated play in Kis–Csato, Hungarian Team Championship 1993. 5. Bb3 Swedish grandmaster Ulf Andersson recommended 5.Qxe5+ Qe7 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7 7.Be2, claiming that White has some advantage. (See Harding's 1998 column cited below.) 5... Nc6 5...Be7 (returning the pawn) is a alternative, for example 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Nxe5 0-0 (7... g6!? is worth a try) 8.0-0 Nxe5 9.Qxe5 Bf6 10.Qf4 Ne8 11.d4 c6 12.d5; however, White has a better game (Larsen; Nielsen–Muir, corr. 1971). 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 David Bronstein once won a game with 7...f6 8.Nxc7+ Qxc7 9.Qxf6 b6 10.Qxh8 Bb7 11.Qxh7 0-0-0, but he has