Caissa Codex
C27

Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation

Chess diagram: Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation after 10…b6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

7,006 games: White 52.8% / Draw 4.0% / Black 43.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
2,1552,155
1,3321,332
884884
750750
738738
570570
384384
6969

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.64 White is slightly better

Best play: 11. Ne2 Bb7 12. Qd3 Bxa8 13. O-O g5 14. Qh3 h5 15. d4 h4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation (ECO C27, Open Games) is a variation of the Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 8. Qd5 Qe7 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 b6 (10 moves).

In 7,006 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.8%, Black 43.2% and 4.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 11. d3, in 31% of those games.

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How to play against the Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation

11. Qf3 scores best for White: 61.7%, with White winning 59.5% and Black 36.1% of 884 games. The most played, 11. d3, scores 55.7% in 2,155 games, and 11. Nf3 scores lowest: 45.4%. Stockfish's first choice is 11. Ne2.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 8. Qd5 Qe7 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 b6, the position after Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Frankenstein-Dracula Variation (C27)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-game-stanley-variation-frankenstein-dracula-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/vienna-game-stanley-variation-frankenstein-dracula-variation