Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver Attack


The Fried Liver Attack, also called the Fegatello Attack, is a chess opening. This opening is a variation of the Two Knights Defense in which White sacrifices a knight for an attack on Black's king. The opening begins with the moves:
This is the Two Knights Defense where White has chosen the offensive line 4.Ng5, but Black's last move is risky. White can now get an advantage with 6.d4 ; however, the Fried Liver Attack involves a knight sacrifice on f7, defined by the moves:
The opening is classified as code C57 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.

History

The Fried Liver Attack has been known for many centuries, the earliest known example being a game played by Giulio Cesare Polerio before 1606.

Considerations

Play usually continues 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3. Black will play 8...Nb4 or 8...Ne7 and follow up with...c6, bolstering his pinned knight on d5. If Black plays 8...Nb4, White can the b4-knight to abandon protection of the d5-knight with 9.a3 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Nxd5, sacrificing a rook, but current analysis suggests that the alternatives 9.Qe4, 9.Bb3 and 9.0-0 are stronger. White has a strong attack, but it has not yet been proven to be decisive. Because defence is harder to play than attack in this variation, the Fried Liver is dangerous for Black, particularly with shorter time controls.