Fried Liver Attack

While learning about openings I came through this unusual one. How effective is it?

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Nf6
4.Ng5 d5
5.exd5 Nxd5
6.Nxf7 Kxf7

well...not very good.

EDITS: grammar errors

Depends.

OTB I think it CAN be an effective weapon especially if your opponent doesn't know the theory.

In CC its usefullness is greatly reduced due to the ability to use databases/opening books.

Play usually continues:

7. Qf3+ Ke6
8. Nc3
Black will play 8...Nb4 or 8...Ne7 and follow up with ...c6

but whats wrong if he plays 7...Ke8??

In OTB chess the Fried Liver Attack is fantastic and all but unstoppable against opponents rated below, say, 1800 ELO.

It tends to be weaker players who play 5. ... Nxd5, which may help explain why White almost always wins in this opening (I have 21 wins out of 21 in tournament / league OTB games).

Even in correspondence chess the Fried Liver is excellent and Black has to play very well to survive it.

Originally posted by vuelve
Play usually continues:

7. Qf3+ Ke6
8. Nc3
Black will play 8...Nb4 or 8...Ne7 and follow up with ...c6

but whats wrong if he plays 7...Ke8??

White is simply much better after 8. Bxd5 Qf6 (say) 9. Bxc6+ Qxc6 10. Qxc6+ bxc6. White is a pawn up and Black has doubled C pawns and an isolated E pawn.

1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Nf6
4.Ng5 d5
5.exd5 Nxd5? this isn't a good move and while white can play Nxf7 immediately much better is d4, trying to open up the center before sacrificing on f7, black can prevent the sacrifice with with Be6 or f6 but both seem to give white a large advantage.

Like some have said, it's a decent opening attack aganist middle to low rated players who don't know the theory behind it.

In OTB, with players around the 1500 mark, would make for an interesting game.

The Fried Liver Attack is an unsound sacrifice that nevertheless scores over 70% for white. Black must defend accurately (and sometimes return the sacrifice).

Isn't 6.d4 better than 6.Nxf7? I thought you can defer the sac on f7 until the knight becomes attacked. The more development white gets before that, the easier the win.

Originally posted by Mephisto2
Isn't 6.d4 better than 6.Nxf7? I thought you can defer the sac on f7 until the knight becomes attacked. The more development white gets before that, the easier the win.

6.d4 is worth of consideration. Maybe its even better than 6.Nxf7, but in my opinion sacrifice on f7 is worth of it even in CC.

it seems like a good game for white even if black defends correctly and plays 5..Na5 becasue then black gets an isolated pawn. does anyone have games where black then gets an advantage?