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Fried Liver Attack

White sacrifices a knight on f7 to drag the black king into the middle of the board, then attacks it with the queen and the other pieces.

Opening: Two Knights Defence (Italian Game). Set by White. Level: Intermediate.

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The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3

The mistake: Black plays Nxd5 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5)

It only works after a mistake

Black must play Nxd5 for it to work. This is an attacking idea, not a forced win. After 6.Nxf7 the position is very hard for Black to defend in practice, but a careful defender can survive. Black avoids it completely with 5...Na5.

Final position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3

How to avoid it

After 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5, play 5...Na5 (the main line) instead of 5...Nxd5.

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