Vienna Game, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation

In the Vienna Game, White first develops the b1-knight to c3 after both king pawns advance. In this variation White also moves the bishop to c4, and Black's knight on f6 then captures White's e4-pawn, written 3...Nxe4. Black wins a pawn, but White's bishop on c4 already points toward f7, a square close to the black king. The critical reply moves White's queen to h5, written 4.Qh5, attacking f7 and e5. Black therefore usually needs ...Nd6, which protects f7 and moves the knight away from danger.

In the main line, White's knight may jump to c7 and then a8, capturing a rook. The problem is that the knight can become trapped in the corner. Black accepts a temporary deficit in pawns or pieces in return for bringing the pieces out quickly, opening lines, and creating threats against White's king. These advantages received for lost or sacrificed material are called compensation.

Another tempting move is 4.Nxe4, but ...d5 can create a fork, meaning one pawn attacks the bishop on c4 and the knight on e4 at the same time. The dramatic name describes the line's character, not a forced result. As in the Göring Gambit, speed and threats can matter more than pawn counting, but only while those threats remain real.