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Ponderchess / Italian Game

Fried Liver Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7. White gives up a knight on f7 to drag Black's king into the open.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7

Step through it in the Italian Game explorer →

Key ideas

  • After 6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 the king has to defend the knight on d5, which is pinned by the c4 bishop. 8.Nc3 attacks it again, and Black's main defence is 8...Nb4, bringing the other knight toward c2 and d5.
  • White continues with d4, castling and Re1, or a3 to drive the b4 knight away, opening the centre while Black's king is stuck on e6. Black tries to hold d5 with ...c6 and return material at the right moment.
  • Many players regard the Lolli Attack, 6.d4 instead of 6.Nxf7, as the more testing move: it opens the centre first and keeps the sacrifice on f7 in reserve.
  • Black avoids all of this with 5...Na5 instead of 5...Nxd5, or with the Traxler, 4...Bc5.

Plans for White

Bring everything into the attack: Qf3+, Nc3, d4 and castling, with a rook to e1 and the bishop to g5 or e3. Keep the pin on d5 and avoid queen trades; with the king on e6, every line that opens helps you.

Plans for Black

If you allow the Fried Liver, defend precisely: 7...Ke6, 8...Nb4 and ...c6 to support d5, then return the piece if that reaches a playable position. The simpler cure is to avoid 5...Nxd5.

Watch out

After 6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+, Black's king belongs on e6, where it protects the d5 knight. 7...Kg8?? loses at once to 8.Qxd5+, and if 8...Qxd5 9.Bxd5+ Be6 10.Bxe6#.

For the wider picture, see the Italian Game guide.