Fried Liver Attack

Fried Liver Attack
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8
a8 black rook
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
f7 white knight
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
c6 black knight
d5 black knight
e5 black pawn
c4 white bishop
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
d2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
b1 white knight
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
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Moves1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7
ECOC57
OriginPolerio vs. Domenico, Rome c. 1610
Named afterItalian dish ("Fegatelli" is pork liver sliced up, wrapped in fat netting and cooked over a fire; likewise Black's king is wrapped in White's mating net[1])
ParentTwo Knights Defense
Synonym(s)Fegatello Attack

The Fried Liver Attack, also called the Fegatello Attack (named after an Italian dish), is a chess opening. This opening is a variation of the Two Knights Defense in which White sacrifices a knight for an attack on Black's king. The opening begins with the moves:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
4. Ng5 d5
5. exd5 Nxd5?!
6. Nxf7

This is the Two Knights Defense where White has chosen the offensive line 4.Ng5, but 5...Nxd5 is risky (5...Na5, the Polerio Defense, is considered better; other Black choices include 5...b5 and 5...Nd4). Bobby Fischer felt that 6.d4! (the Lolli Attack) was incredibly strong, to the point 5...Nxd5 is rarely played;[2] however, the Fried Liver Attack involves the move 6.Nxf7, a knight sacrifice on f7.

The opening is popular with younger players who like the name and the aggressive, attacking style.[3] It is classified as code C57 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
  1. ^ Doazan, G.-E. (April 1843). "Un manuscrit sur les éches" [A manuscript on chess]. Palamède.
  2. ^ Fischer, Bobby. My 60 Memorable Games. Fischer's analysis of this line is in game 45, Fischer - Bisguier 1963
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference JonEdwards was invoked but never defined (see the help page).