How do I defend against this annoying attack?

People have been using this on me for ages, and I am sick of it. Yes, I get a Knight and Bishop, but I also lose a Rook and Pawn. Every time they do this, I just have to accept that I'll lose my rook and move my King out into the open. Is there any way to defend against this?

(I've heard that this trade is actually bad, though. But I don't know.)

Thanks! But why is it good for me? Why does everyone do it if it's bad for them? I usually do castle in that position, but then I lose the rook and pawn. And as for why your app keeps crashing, I think it's because I didn't bother to put in a White King.

The two pieces are usually more useful than the rook

The trade is good for Black.

Look at what White is gaining... a Pawn and a Rook and some temporary exposure of your King. That's ALL.

Now look at what White is giving up in order to get that:

He is giving up his King's Knight and his King's Bishop... two of his BEST attacking pieces. Assuming that you've castled on the King's side, how often do people attack your King successfully without using either their King's Knight or their King's Bishop?

White is throwing away five moves... FIVE. Nf3 / Ng5 / Bc4 / Bxf7 / Nxf7. Five moves. Once you play Kxf7 in response, all five of the moves that White has played disappear from the board, as if they had never been made. In return, your 0-0 and Rxf7 moves also disappear, and you'll have to spend one more move doing something about your slightly exposed King. But that still leaves you ahead of the pace by two moves (five minus three).

Once you plant one of your Knights on f6, how exactly is White going to attack you, with his King's Knight and King's Bishop already traded off?

ok. the thing you might not understand is that things aren't always as the seem

ALMOST ALWAYS (at least in my 2000+ ELO games)

Bishop+Knight is BETTER than Rook+Pawn

So, you don't have to prevent this - just let it happen

so indeed, this trade is bad

there is nothing bad about it (for you)

it just gives you a positional advantage (not every advantage is material advantage!!!)

If all the R was doing was guarding the bishop pawn ,and the B +N were the only pieces that could get to the castled king,I don't think black has lost anything through the exchanges and in fact it may be white who has given up the initiative.