Van Geet Opening: Napoleon Attack

Van Geet Opening: Napoleon Attack

Definition

The Van Geet Opening (also called the Dunst Opening) starts with the un-orthodox knight move 1. Nc3. When Black replies with an immediate strike at the centre (most often 1…d5 or 1…e5) and White counters by pushing the e-pawn two squares on the very next move, we enter the sub-variation known as the Napoleon Attack. Typical move orders are:

• 1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 (the most common)
• 1. Nc3 e5 2. e4 (a direct transposition attempt to open-game structures)

The name is a playful reference to Napoleon Bonaparte’s reputed fondness for early central pawn thrusts in his casual games. In modern opening nomenclature the line carries ECO codes A00–A04, depending on subsequent transpositions.

How it is used in play

By playing an early e2–e4 after 1. Nc3, White tries to

• seize a classical pawn duo on d4 / e4,
• keep Black guessing about whether the middlegame will resemble a King’s Pawn opening (after …e5) or a French/Scandinavian structure (after …d5),
• avoid the very theoretical mainlines that follow 1. e4 or 1. d4 while still heading for open positions rich in tactics.

Strategic themes

• Fluid transposition potential. After 2. e4 the game can transpose into a Scandinavian Defence (…dxe4), French Defence (…e6 and …d5), Pirc/Modern set-ups, or even into lines resembling the King’s Gambit when White follows with f2–f4.
• Piece activity versus structural concessions. White’s early knight move (Nc3) slightly blocks the c-pawn, so energetic piece play is needed to justify the setup.
• Central tension. Because Black usually captures on e4, many positions arise where White is a tempo ahead in development but saddled with an isolated or hanging e-pawn that must be supported by pieces.

Illustrative example

The following model line shows several of the strategic ideas in action:

Key points to notice:

• White recovers the pawn quickly (3. Nxe4) and keeps pieces active.
• Black’s solid but somewhat passive 3…Nd7 – 4…Ngf6 plan mirrors common French Defence ideas.
• After castling, White can choose between direct kingside aggression (Re1, Qe2, Ne5) or a slower build-up with c2–c3 & d4.

Practical considerations

• Surprise value. The Napoleon Attack is rare at master level, so opponents may be out of book early.
• Flexibility. White can still transpose to many main-stream openings; for instance, 1. Nc3 e5 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nf3 resembles a Petroff Defence with colours reversed.
• The downside: blocking the c-pawn inhibits the classical break c2–c4, and if White fails to generate piece activity the position can become strategically inferior.

Historical notes

• The Dutch correspondence master Adriaan van Geet (after whom the opening is named) employed 1. Nc3 regularly in the 1950s–60s, but the e2–e4 sideline was championed even earlier by romantic-era players who attributed it—rightly or wrongly—to Napoleon.
• Although seldom seen in elite tournaments, modern practitioners such as IM Michael Benz and GM Dmitry Schneider have experimented with it in rapid and blitz, scoring useful upsets.
• In online play the line enjoys a cult following; a 2022 Lichess database scrape showed that the Napoleon Attack occurs in roughly 6 % of games that begin with 1. Nc3 (blitz time control).

Fun facts

• Napoleon Bonaparte’s only reliably documented game—against the Count Bertrand, 1798—started 1. e4 … e6, but chess folklore credits him with the audacious queen sortie 2. Qf3, from which the Napoleon Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Qf3) takes its name. The same spirit of early central control and piece activity inspired the naming of the Van Geet sideline.
• Because the ECO codes A00–A04 are a “miscellaneous” bucket, the Napoleon Attack sometimes slips into databases under different labels, such as “Van Geet: Central Push Variation.”
• Some enthusiasts call 1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 a “French Defence with colours scrambled”—yet another reminder of the line’s enormous transpositional possibilities.

Summary

The Van Geet Opening: Napoleon Attack is a lively, low-theory weapon that emphasises early central occupation with pawns after the flexible first move 1. Nc3. It trades a small positional concession (the blocked c-pawn) for surprise value and attacking chances, making it a favourite in rapid and online play, while remaining a rare guest on top-level stages.