Internal Combustion Engine and Method for Its Operation

An internal combustion engine has a cylinder with a combustion chamber and a piston supported reciprocatingly in the cylinder and delimiting the combustion chamber. A crankcase is connected to the cylinder and a crankshaft is rotatably supported therein. The piston is operatively connected to the crankshaft so as to drive the crankshaft in rotation. A transfer passage provides flow communication between crankcase interior and combustion chamber when the piston is at bottom dead center. The transfer passage has a port opening connecting the transfer passage to the crankcase interior and has a transfer port connecting the transfer passage to the combustion chamber. A fuel supply device supplies fuel into the transfer passage at a location between the transfer port and the port opening. The transfer passage has a connecting opening and is connected to the crankcase interior at the connecting opening. A control element controls the connecting opening.