Enjoy Success With The Fried Liver Attack

One of the most notorious openings in chess, the Fried Liver Attack isn’t just a juicy name, but a juicy trap that can win White the game in eight moves!

In this guide, you’ll discover not only how to roast Black in all manner of delicious ways, but also how to stew to White in its own juices if your opponent ever attempts the Fried Liver on you!

Introducing The Fried Liver Attack

The Fried Liver Attack is a super aggressive variation of the Two Knight’s Defense of the Italian Game. While some sources define the Fried Liver Attack as starting with 4.Ng5, this essential precursor is more correctly termed the ‘Knight Attack’:

To defend f7, Black usually plays 4...d5, to which White responds 5.exd5. Now, the Fried Liver Attack proper can only commence if Black makes a natural and frequently played error: 5...Nxd5. Enter White’s heroic knight sacrifice! 6.Nxf7 Is the defining move of the infamous Fried Liver:

Black has no option but to accept the sacrifice: 6...Kxf7. Now White turns up the heat with 7.Qf3+, double-attacking Black’s knight on d5 while threatening further attacks on an exposed king. What will Black do? Let’s take a look at your opponent’s rather bleak options on move seven:

7...Kg8 - White Wins in 8 Moves!

Like many opening traps, the Fried Liver Attack offers a possible checkmate in the first few moves.

Played in 10% of games, 7...Kg8 appears to be a natural enough move for those failing to see ahead. Sadly for Black, 8.Bxd5+ wins the game. Its king simply has nowhere left to go!

Black can postpone losing only by sacrificing its queen (...Qxd5) or sacrificing its bishop (...Be6), but checkmate is inevitable by move 10 regardless: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Kg8 8. Bxd5+ Qxd5 9. Qxd5+ Be6 10. Qxe6#

7...Ke8

In 31% of games, Black will play 7...Ke8, but this is ill-advised also.

White continues in the same way as before: 8.Bxd5, threatening checkmate on f7. Black’s best way to defend this is 8...Qf6. Continue by trading your bishop for Black’s knight (Bxc6+). Now you have the option to trade queens, too.

You can head into the end game a pawn up, with Black’s pawn structure left in tatters.

7...Qf6

7...Qf6 is played in 20% of games but is no more promising for Black. As with 7...Ke8, continue by capturing both knights. Black’s king is left exposed, and once again, you have the option to trade queens to go into the end game with a far superior pawn structure.

Black's Best Option: 7…Ke6

Played in 36% of games, 7...Ke6 is Black’s best move post-Fried Liver Attack. Although the king has strayed dangerously onto the 6th rank, it now protects the knight on d5. Black’s precarious position is only somewhat compensated for by its two-point material advantage.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 looks like this:

Instead of trading pieces on d5, add pressure by developing your knight (8.Nc3). Black will now usually further protect d5 with 8...Nb4. This move also threatens a nasty fork on c2 – therefore get your king out of the way by castling (9.O-O.).

Now ...Nxc2 isn’t an option for Black since the knight is still needed to defend d5. Because the d5 knight is still so vulnerable, Black must now play 9...c6 to hang on to it. Your winning plan now is to open up the center and attack Black’s king as fast as possible.

10.d4 undermines Black’s defending pawn on the e-file, so your rook can soon join the fight. It's a very daunting position for Black to defend!

The Best Way to Avoid the Fried Liver Attack

So, how does Black avoid White’s cocky trick to win an equal position? Let’s recap on the initial Knight Attack again: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5. Now Black has various ways to continue.

The Polerio Defense (5...Na5)

The most solid approach that both Grandmasters and chess engines play is the Polerio Defense: 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5.

At this point, Chess engines deem the position equal, yet in amateur games, Black wins a majority. White is a pawn up, yet Black has dangerous chances to launch its own counterattack. Your winning strategy now is to chase White’s pieces wherever possible!

For example, in answer to the most commonly played moves by White: 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Ba4? h6 9. Nf3 e4:

Black piles pressure on White's two attacking pieces. After 9...e4, White's knight can't move anywhere except back to square one. 10.Ne5 isn't an option since 10...Qd4 delivers a winning fork!

Countering The Polerio Defense With White

As we’ve just seen, dealing with 5...Na5 can prove treacherous for White. Although the mainline continues with 6.Bb5+, less experienced players can easily end up in hot water.

6.d3 boasts a better track record for White. Your opponent is less likely to know the best moves and will normally trade on c4 (6...Nxc4 7.dxc4), after which you’ll at least have a strong center.

Continue with Nc3 so that when your opponent plays h7-h6, you can land your kingside knight safely on e4.

The Traxler Counterattack (4..Bc5)

A fascinating and fearsome way that Black can dose White a taste of its own medicine is by ignoring the apparent threats and launching its own vicious counterattack: 4...Bc5.

Any opponent that doesn’t know the Traxler will naturally imagine that Black blundered and capture f7 anyway (5.Nxf7), but White may live to regret it! Black uncloaks its cunning plan with 5...Bxf2.

After 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+, White’s king can move to six squares, four of which lose immediately! With Black’s queen now set free to join the attack, White can easily end up fried in its own fire. Let’s take an example: 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8. d3 Qf4+ 9. Ke2 Qf2#

Yes, that’s checkmate in 9 moves!:

We don’t have the scope here to analyze all six variations, but it's safe to say that most players with the White pieces will find it extremely difficult to come out of the Traxler without losing a major piece or the entire game within the first 12 or so moves!

How to Beat the Traxler Counterattack

The Traxler Counterattack is so tricky to play against that it’s better not to let Black play it all. Instead of capturing 5.Nxf7, go for 5.Bxf7. Follow by retreating the bishop to c4, castling, and playing Nc3. Now you’re a pawn up, safe from savage attacks, and Black has lost castling rights. Your disgruntled opponent comes away without any spoils from their ambitious ambush!

Conclusion: Is the Fried Liver Attack a Good Opening?

As we’ve seen, the Fried Liver Attack can win White a quick, distinct advantage or even the entire game within the opening few moves – but it does rely on Black making a mistake!

If Black instead plays 5...Na5, your hopes of launching the Fried Liver are dashed and Black has won an equal position. Fortunately, many opponents still don’t know the Fried Liver Attack and so are prone to making the simple error that you’re vying for.

At higher levels, however, Black will almost certainly know how to avoid the trap and might even turn the tables on you. Still, the Fried Liver Attack is well worth attempting against beginner and intermediate opponents who you might well coax into your frying pan!