Hi I occasionally play the traxler as black in response to 4. Ng5, and yet recently, a friend of mine has begun to respond with Kf1 instead of Kxf2:

 

My analysis skills seem to fail me at this point, and so can anyone give me some suggestions on viable responses to maintain an advantage/parity as black...

 

Thanks all 

Just a 'disclaimer' of sorts - I am not simply trying to cheat on my online games! This has only occurred OTB recently...

It seems to me that white is better because after Qe7 Nxh8 

my research would say that 4. ..d5 is a much better response than 4. ..Bc5.

The Kf1 instead of Kxf2 avoids all the follow up checks and leaves white much stronger. 

This is the line my opening book gives. It gives black a slight advantage. I would recomend playing 5.Bxf7+ then white is up a pawn and should have an easy game. White won't win as much material but doesn't have to deal with the traps after 5.Nxf7.

Don't listen to them. Play the Traxler, against the 6.Kf1 var., and win (sometimes).

Anyway, here's some ideas how to proceed -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is why Bxf7+ leaves white with an advantage while Nxf7 should be considered dubious.

I'm giving you a hand, for i 've studied this opening very on detail a few years ago. Although all the comments above are correct they show only inferior replies of white for instance:

 

I'm giving you a hand, for i 've studied this opening very on detail a few years ago. Although all the comments above are correct they show only inferior replies of white for instance:

 

that was pretty good by black to counter that

Hey thanks everyone for input. futuregm23 and perfectgent, I know that white seems better off, and that's why I was asking for input. Nxf7 is somewhat dubious in the first place, and I have heard that theoretically Kf1 is significantly inferior to Kxf2 - that's why I was so confused at the seeming lack of options for black.

I tend to play the same 3. Bc4 move as white and when I get 3...f6, I play 4 Ng5, but still rarely find myself fighting the Wilkes-Barre or Traxler.  When I do, I prefer the following PGN so you (as black) should be ready for that as well.  Having said that, I seem to be having PGN problems (it's not coming up). But,

5. Bxf7 Kf8

6. Bd5 blocking the advance of black's d and defending whites e, leading (I think) to a good solid game for white.

 

I find the 5.Nxf7 to be virtually suicidal along more lines than I care to memorize (considering how rarely I play it).  It has (I believe) been analyzed to a draw with best play for white, but who wants to be in that position.

I am agreeing with much that has been said here and find batgirl's games fascinating.  It should be noted that black's 4....Bc5 is much more in keeping with elementary principles of development than whites 4 Ng5 which is arguably too agressive too early, so I like the Traxler in principle.

"5. Bxf7 Kf8"

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Ke7 6. Bd5 Rf8  is both the strongest and most popular line. Black forgoes castling (and a pawn), but has a definite lead in development as well as a formidable attack (after moves like Rf8, Nd4, Bg4) in compensation.  It all makes for interesting and exciting games.

batgirl said

Don't listen to them. Play the Traxler, against the 6.Kf1 var., and win (sometimes).

well otb this might be the case but my fascination with the latvian has convinced me that some lines are NOT suited to correspondence chess.

so yes win 'sometimes' but dont expect an overall plus score 

PerfectGent: I love the Wilkes-Barre. I never play 1: e4, and against 1:e4 I never play ... e5, so unfortunately it never occurs in my games! :-(.

That being said, on here I recently entered a tournament called "Two Knights Defense Practice" specifically so I could play this variation. Amazingly, out of 18 games, it only occured one time, and my opponent indeed played Nxf7 and Kf1. Here is the complete game:

e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 Bc5 Nxf7 Bxf2+ Kf1 Qe7 Nxh8 d5 exd5 Nd4 b3? Bg4 Ba3 Qd7 Qc1 Qf5 Bd3 e4 0-1

White has choices on move 9, but b3 is not a good one. h3 and d6 are the two that I know of.

"dont expect an overall plus score"  against stronger opponents, that is, but don't expect an overall plus score against stronger opponents in any opening.

Thank you batgirl and you are right. .... Ke7 is more book, although Kf8 lets black's queen out. 

I should mention to any and all who go through posted games with an attempt at understanding, that in your ? vs ? game, black missed 14...Nf3# unless I am missing something obvious, (in which case I will have egg on my face).  I get a petty thrill when strong players miss clear moves.  I remember missing a one move mate in a tactics trainer when I tried for a forced 4 move combination winning the queen.  Myopia, as much or more than a lack of skill, is so often why I (and many others) are stuck in mediocrity.

I am now off to socialize with the local group and play my rated weekly game.

 

Thank you all for a good forum.

"in which case I will have egg on my face"

 

Nope, your face is clean. With four enemy pieces swarming around the nearly defenseless King, Black probably suffered from over-stimulation.

One useful mnemonic to remember generally when playing wilkes-barre aka traxler ...Nd4 is very often necessary. See on each move whether ...Nd4 is indicated.

Why not Kxf2?  (anything besides Ne4+ i'm not seeing?)