Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6/2. e5/2...Ne4

Now leaving opening theory: This page represents a rare sideline. Before making new pages for following moves, please consider line notability.

This knight sally, unsupported and into its opponent's side of the board, is unusual. White is likely to at least gain tempo on the knight, and possibly trap it.

3. d4 takes the centre uncontested and supports the e5-pawn. It threatens f3 to trap the knight (e.g. 3...d6? 4. f3). 3...e6, the Vavra defence, defends 4. f3? because Black can answer it 4...Qh4+! 5. g3 Nxg3 (the h-pawn is pinned to the rook). 4. Bd3 is natural, but there is a better line in the surprising 4. Nh3!, where 4...d5 5. f3 Qh4+? 6. g3 Nxg3 7. Bg5! (defended by the knight) Qh5 8. hxg3. 4. Nh3 sets off a race for the g5 square. 4...h6 5. Qg4 d5 6. f3 Ng5 7. Nxg5 hxg5 8. Bxg5 f6.

3...f6 prepares to answer f3 with ...Ng5 and the knight is defended.

3. d3 drives the knight about some more while White advances their pawns. 3...Nc5 4. d4 Ne6 5. d5 Nc5 6. Nf3 e6.

Mokele Mbembe (mokèlé-mbèmbé) is a Congolese cryptid (that is, a monster of urban legend, like Bigfoot or Nessie). Stefan Bücker began playing it in the 1980s introduced the name in his 1990 book.^[1] Schiller & Benjamin call it the knight's tour variation (and, "such rubbish that it is relegated to our waste bin collection").^[2]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Ne4