The Complete Guide To The Traxler Counter Attack (Part 1)
Have you ever wondered if there is any way for black to play against, or even beat, the infamous Fried Liver attack? Well then, it’s your lucky day, as there is a way to beat it, and that is by playing the Traxler Counter-Attack, the best way to defeat the Fried Liver.
Let me tell you of the bat, the Traxler is a brutal opening, which could give you a checkmate in under 10 moves, and absolutely brutal king hunts across the board. It’s a high-risk high reward opening, but if you’re willing to make that risk it will certainly not disappoint.
The Traxler is broken down into two main lines, one where white plays Nxf7 and in the other they play Bxf7. In this blog I will cover Nxf7 but if there is enough interest, I will make a part two about Bxf7.
The Traxler with 5.Nxf7
The first moves are 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nc6 and then black plays Ng4, the Fried Liver, usually black plays 4.d5, however we play 4.Bc5, and thus the Traxler starts. If white play 5.Nxf7 we will then shock them with 5…Bxf2!! after 6.Kxf2 we play 6…Nxe4+. Hear there are several different lines and I will cover each line now.
If 7.Kf3 then 7…Qf6+ 8.Kxe4 d5 and you should checkmate white in a couple of moves. Now If white play 7.Kf1 then we play 7…Qh4 8.Qf3 Nd4 and there are to many threats for white to handle so they are lost. If 7.Ke1 we play 7…Qh4 yet again, whites best move is 8.g3 we sac the knight with 8…Ng3!! 9.hxg3 Qxh1 10.Bf1 O-O and we completely winning hear. if 7.Ke2 then we play 7…Nd4 8.Kd3 Nf2+ and it’s a family fork.
If white play 7.Kg1 then we play 7…Qh4 8.g3 and what do we do? Yep, we sacrifice the knight again with Nxg3!! 9.hxg3 Qxg3 10.Kf1 Rf8 and our following moves will be d5 sacrificing our pawn to go Bg4 then Nd4 and we will go of and mercilessly attack the king, and probably checkmate him as well.
Another move white can play is 7.Ke1, if that then we play again 7…Qh4 often 8.g3 and of course, we play 8…Nxg3!! (if instead 8.d3 we have a mate in two with Qf4+ and #Qf2) But this time we will play 9…Qd4+ 10.Ke3 Qxc4_ and then you will pick up the knight as well, but if 10.Kf3 then Bg4+ and you skewer the king and queen. But what about 8.Qf3? we play the strange but powerful 8…Nf6! well it continues as it follows : 9.Nxh4 Nd4+ 10.Qf1 d5 11.Bb3 Ng4+ 12.Kd3 Nf2+ 13.Kc3 and then Ne2+!! 14.Qxe2 and then finally #Qd4.
If Kf1 instead of Kxf2
But Sometimes white doesn’t play 6.Kxf2 and instead play Kf1, what do you do against that? Well, I will show you! We play 6…Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.Bxd5 Bg4 and the Queen is rather funnily trapped! But if 8.exd5 we then go Nd4 and a common move hear is 9.c3 then we go Bg4 10.Qa4+ Nd7 and we win! Like say if 11.Kxf2 then Qh4 and we will hunt down the King. If 11.cxd4 Qf6 and we will checkmate the king soon.
Thank you for checking out this blog. I hope it helped! As I said before I might do a part two of the Traxler so if it comes check it out. And don’t forget to follow my account @NoahdeAlwis .
