The Fried Liver Attack: the f7 knight sacrifice
The Fried Liver Attack arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7. White gives a knight to pull the black king to f7, where Qf3+ hits both the king and the knight on d5.
It is one of the sharpest ways to punish 5...Nxd5, and it is why strong players prefer 5...Na5, the Polerio Defence, which returns the pawn to keep the king safe.
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How to spot it
- The pattern needs the bishop on c4 aiming at f7 and a knight on g5 supporting the strike.
- After Kxf7, play Qf3+ before anything else — the double attack is the whole point.
- If Black defends with ...Ne7 and ...c6, switch to slow pressure rather than forcing more.
Practise this pattern
Play the winning move on a real board in verified fried liver positions, with hints and worked solutions.
Start the exercisesHow to defend against it
- Play 5...Na5 instead of 5...Nxd5: give back the pawn and chase the bishop.
- The Traxler Counterattack, 4...Bc5, meets the same idea with a counter-sacrifice on f2.
- As Black, avoid 4...d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 unless you have studied the resulting positions.
Common mistakes
- Sacrificing on f7 without the queen ready to check on f3.
- As Black, keeping the extra piece at the cost of an exposed king in the centre.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Fried Liver sound?
- It gives White a strong practical attack and long-term compensation, but engines assess the resulting positions as roughly balanced with precise defence.
- How do I avoid the Fried Liver as Black?
- Answer 4.Ng5 with 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5, or sidestep the whole line with 3...Bc5 or 3...Be7.