Traxler discussion

These posts are what I hoped for because more is discovered about a variation.

Well, it appears that 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kg1 is a forced draw after

7...Qh4! 8.g3 Nxg3 9.Nxh8! Nd4! 10.hxg3! Qxg3+ 11.Kf1 Qf4+ 12.Kg2 Qg5+  1/2-1/2

Looks like 7.Ke3 is the last try for white in this variation.

I will play it for you, I have Fur Elise memorized, and I am very talented on the piano.  This means you should have your manuscript in five minutes, which is when the song ends, unless you want a broken record.

What references do you guys use?

I just have the Palkovi 2-knights defence book which has a couple of chapters at the end about the Traxler.

This doesn't match my understanding, but I'll have to wait to respond until later. When you say "in this variation" you mean the Nxf7/Kxf2 variation, right?

I use Jan Pinski's "Two Knights Defense" book as well as a number of online sources combined with games played.

That is correct.

What happens after Ke3?

My manuscript is apparently famous - it's the Y. Estrin book specifically on the Traxler.

you need to get your manuscript so we can check its variations.

We are currently working on the variation after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3 9.hxg3 Qd4+ 10.Kf3 d5 11.Rh4 e4+ 12.Kg2 0-0 13.Bb3 Rxf7 14.Rf4 Rxf4 15.gxf4 Be6 16.Nc3

In addition, I presented a novelty earlier in this variation which has not been looked at yet, 13.Nc3!

conquistador in your variation :

".e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3 9.hxg3 Qd4+ 10.Kf3 d5 11.Rh4 e4+ 12.Kg2 0-0 13.Bb3 Rxf7 14.Rf4 Rxf4 15.gxf4 Be6 16.Nc3"

why not try  10. ... 0-0 11. d3 d5 12. Kg2 R:f7

or 10. ... 0-0 11. Rh4 e4 12.R:e5 Ne5 13.R: Q: 14.Nc3 d5 15. B:d5 Be6  exchange bishops and black has a rook for N+B  and in this position is prety equal.

I think that white should transpose back into the line in question with

10...0-0 11.Rh4 e4+ 12.Kg2 d5 13.Bb3

21.Bxh6 gxh6 22.Qxh6 would be met by 22...Qf7

Your line with 16...Qd5 is strong, I cannot find anything concrete for white to go forward and increase his advantage.  As far as I can tell, it is equal.  I am trying to find improvements for white earlier.

In this line, Estrin only gives 13.Qh5

13.Qh5 Be6 14.c3 Qxc4 15.b3 Qd3 (Ostrava v Kutna Gora, 1959) "black has obtained a decisive advantage"

Estrin assesses 9... Nd4 as "sufficient for a draw", but says that 9... d5 is "the most interesting and sharp continuation".

9... Nd4 10.hxg Qxg3 11.Kf1 Qf4+ 12.Kg2 Qg5+ "and black has nothing better than the perpetual check"

First the main line, then notes

9... d5 10.Qf3 Qd4+ 11.Qe3 Nxh1 12.Bb5 Qg4+ 13.Kxh1 Bf5! 14.d3 Kf8! 15.Bd2 Qd1+ 16.Be1 Kg8! 17.Qd2 Qf3+ 18.Qg2 Qd1 19.Qd2 Qf3+ =

In your second line, I have a novelty you should be aware of.

9...d5? 10.Qf3! Qd4+ 11.Qe3 Nxh1 12.Qxd4! Nxd4 13.Bb3

A: 13...Bh3 14.Na3 Nxb3 15.axb3 Kd7 16.d3 Rxh8 17.Kxh1 Rf8 18.Be3 a5 19.Kg1 b6 20.Re1 c5 21.Bf2! Re8 22.Bg3

B: 13...Be6 14.Kxh1 Kd7 (14...0-0-0 15.d3 Rxh8 16.Be3) 15.d3! Rxh8 16.Be3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Rf8 18.Kg2 d4 19.Bf2 Bd5+ 20.Kg1 a6 21.Nd2

9...d5 10.Qf3 Qd4+ 11.Qe3 Nxh1 12.Qxd4 Nxd4 13.Bb3 is listed in the book. It recommends 13... Be6! with the comment "White is faced with difficulties despite his extra piece"

In the line you give, he only gives 15.c3 and does not mention 15.d3

14.Kxh1 o-o-o 15.c3 Ne2 16.Na3 Rf8! "with a dangerous attack".

He does however give 15.d3 in the 14.Nc3 variation:

14.Nc3 o-o-o 15.d3 c5!

To be perfectly clear, even though Estrin is a World Correspondence Chess Champion (1972-1976), mine is the second edition, published in 1978.

My book recommends 9...d5 10.Qf3 Qd4+ 11.Qe3 Nxh1 12.Qxd4 Nxd4 13.Bb3 Be6 14.Kxh1 0-0-0 15.d3 Rxh8 16.Be3