What's the best counter attack to Fried liver attack?
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I'm 800 elo and often i lose in tournaments due to this fried liver attack..I've heard of something called Traxler counter attack but i don't know any lines.
Jan 16, 2023
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faaiq06 wrote:
I'm 800 elo and often i lose in tournaments due to this fried liver attack..I've heard of something called Traxler counter attack but i don't know any lines.
Two different openings. One does not counter the other. Yes, both are in the two knights defense, but the Traxler Countergambit is unsound and Black should never allow the Fried liver, and instead defend with the main line against 4.Ng5 or else avoid the two knights and play the Italian game.
Two Knights Defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5?! (4.d3 is better) d5 (4...Bc5? is the Traxler Countergambit - 5.Bxf7+ followed by 6.Bd5 and White is winning) 5.exd5 Na5! (5...Nxd5?? Allows the Fried Liver Attack with 6.Nxf7) 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 and Black is equal, but there is a ton of theory with a number of options here for White, including not moving the Bishop and playing 8.Qf3.
If you are not comfortable being down a pawn and are a materialist, then play the Italian Game with 3...Bc5 instead.
faaiq06 wrote:
I'm 800 elo and often i lose in tournaments due to this fried liver attack..I've heard of something called Traxler counter attack but i don't know any lines.
What exatly is Your problem? Do you have problem with the initial move 4.Ng5? ( typial for a beginer - it was exatly that problem what made me study chess). Or with some other line later on? If the first is the problem, take a look:
Take the look at final position. As Thrillerfan once said in another thread "White has nothing". But it is particulary difficult "nothing" for Black to exploit. Black:
a) is down a pawn
b) has a cripled queenside pawn structure
c) his knight is on the rim with no obvious way to return
d) did I mention black is down a pawn?
Look, i am not claiming the position is unplayable, far from. Many masters considered it being better for Black due to initiative and spatial advantege. But it is extremally beginner-unfriendly. You are not Doctor Tarrash, who was a fierce critic of 4.Ng5!?.
White will simple take up a defensive strategy, hole up and wait for an engame with a pawn up and a better structure. It will be up to You to generate an attack and prove you have sufficient compensation for all the abovelisted problems.
For this reason, I belive it is better to simply stay away from Two Knights defence and play 4...Bc5.