English Chess Forum

What was the first opening to be named after an animal, and started that trend?

I'll start the bidding with Orangutan, Tartakower, 1924. But I am no expert.

Bird's Opening must pre-date that.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:06 pm

Bird's Opening must pre-date that.

"Named after 19th-century English player Henry Bird".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chess_openings

"Sodium Attack: 1.Na3"

"Mongoose Variation, 2...Qa5"

"Ruy Lopez, Kraken Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f6 4.d4 g5"

Some of these namings are dodgy. No idea on dates.

"This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (November 2013)"

Who came up with the name 'the hedgehog'?

Nobody's mentioned the Dragon yet!

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:28 pm

Who came up with the name 'the hedgehog'?

Bill Hartston, I believe, has claimed it.

I don't know about the Dragon.

The Elephant Gambit, since no one has asked, was given its name by some wonderful Danish amateurs in the 1980s, Niels Jorgen Jensen and Rasmus Pape (not to be confused with the Danish IMs who recently published a quality chess book). They thought that the previous name "Queen's Pawn Countergambit" was a bit much, and that the Black pawn which generally finds its way to e4 and quite often does cause havoc was like the elephant's tusk. And, more to the point - "it's a fun name and that [fun] is why most of us play chess".

Isn't there some kind of Lion opening/defence/counterattack, or similar, arising from the Pirc?

Oh, and Stefan Bucker's Vulture (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 Ne4).

Jonathan Rogers wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:56 pm

Isn't there some kind of Lion opening/defence/counterattack, or similar, arising from the Pirc?

Pirc move order perhaps (1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Nd7 4 Bc4 e5 or similar) but it's a Philidor offshoot as c6 and Qc7 are likely to be played and .. g6 isn't.

The late Eric Shiller came up with some names of dinosaurs for plans involving a King side fianchetto followed by ideas with .. c5 and .. Qa5.

There was also "the Rat" which was associated with Duncan Suttles treatment of the Modern and similar.

Also the Hippopotamus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus_Defence

That's the line where in some order, Black will play g6, Bg7, b6, Bb7, d6, e6, Nd7, Ne7 with h6 and a6 thrown in sometimes as well.

Jonathan Rogers wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:58 pm

Oh, and Stefan Bucker's Vulture (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 Ne4).

Along with the related Hawk ( 3.Nf3, c4 ) and Woozle ( 3.Nc3, Qa5 ). The last creature may be mythical, but don't tell Piglet.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:13 pm

"Ruy Lopez, Kraken Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f6 4.d4 g5"

I fear that gambit is as mythical as the creature whose name it bears ( and a lot less dangerous! ).

But who started it off I wonder? I don't think Bird's qualifies as it was named after Henry Bird.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:28 pm

Who came up with the name 'the hedgehog'?

The Hedgehog was named after Spiny Norman who lived in a aircraft hanger at Luton airport.

Spiny spent much of his time spying on Doug and Dinsdale Piranha.

Especially for Nick Faulks we have an apt image of Spiny to celebrate 3pm on April 23rd 2023.

Well, I am pretty sure that term was around in the 70s but not so sure it was in the 60s