♔ whiteC57

Fried Liver Attack

The Fried Liver Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7) is a spectacular knight sacrifice that drags the Black king into the open. One of the most famous attacking lines in chess.

Variations

About the Fried Liver Attack

The Fried Liver (or Fegatello Attack) is one of chess's most thrilling combinations. White sacrifices a knight on f7, forcing Kxf7, then plays Qf3+ driving the king into the open. The resulting positions are a tactical nightmare for Black. While there are defenses that hold for Black, the practical difficulty is immense. The line is most effective at club level but remains tricky even for experienced players.

Key Ideas

Sacrifice the knight on f7 for a devastating attack
After Kxf7, Qf3+ drives the king out
The king in the center is extremely vulnerable
Combine queen, bishop, and rook attacks against the exposed king
Black must know the defense precisely — any mistake is fatal

Related Openings

Italian Game Traxler Counter-Attack Scotch Game Evans Gambit

Ready to master the Fried Liver Attack?

Import this one or your own lines from YouTube, Lichess, or PGN and train with spaced repetition.