Fried Liver Attack

Not 1. e5, but if you must play e5 don't be a pussy, play f5.

Nice with onions, mash and gravy.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
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.

Isn't the main problem that 3..Nf6 becomes very rare at the higher level? nearly all the GM's play Bc5.

Also 4..d5 would not be considered the main line defence.

I played the fried liver a lot and always got great results. I liked nearly all the lines for white. Its just that the higher level you play at, the harder it gets.

Originally posted by likeforest
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?

I had one of my best wins once by playing Bc5. The guy was much better than me but fell for a well known tactic.

Even with best play black gets a good practical simple plan. Castle queenside and push your pawns. I think it is best for black against below 1800 players.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Isn't the main problem that 3..Nf6 becomes very rare at the higher level? nearly all the GM's play Bc5.

Also 4..d5 would not be considered the main line defence.

I played the fried liver a lot and always got great results. I liked nearly all the lines for white. Its just that the higher level you play at, the harder it gets.

3. ... Nf6 is perfectly playable and I would say that it is more common than 3. ... Bc5 at higher levels.

4. ... d5 is main line and probably more than 90% of IM/GM games would follow this line rather than the Traxler (4. ... Bc5).

It is Black's 5th move, 5. ... Nxd5? which is a terrible blunder. After 5. ... Na5 Black sacrifices a pawn for excellent development and often gets a great attack going. I think 5. ... b5 and 5. ... Nd4 are playable as well.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
3. ... Nf6 is perfectly playable and I would say that it is more common than 3. ... Bc5 at higher levels.

4. ... d5 is main line and probably more than 90% of IM/GM games would follow this line rather than the Traxler (4. ... Bc5).

It is Black's 5th move, 5. ... Nxd5? which is a terrible blunder. After 5. ... Na5 Black sacrifices a pawn for excellent ...[text shortened]... ent and often gets a great attack going. I think 5. ... b5 and 5. ... Nd4 are playable as well.

Sorry my mistakes! I haven't played it for a very long time. I was thinking of Na5 as the main line but forgot it was a move later.

I used to play Bb5 check, take the pawn c pawn, then play Qf3. I had a cunning plan against Rb1 but nobody ever played it, even though it was considered the best for black.

As black I used to play Na5 but I could never get much play against d3. White always had a better centre.

I have a very difficult time against the fried liver attack as well. I've heard most advanced players say it's a very unsound sac for white, but I can't find a good way to defend against it if I play 5 ...Nxd5.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Sorry my mistakes! I haven't played it for a very long time. I was thinking of Na5 as the main line but forgot it was a move later.

I used to play Bb5 check, take the pawn c pawn, then play Qf3. I had a cunning plan against Rb1 but nobody ever played it, even though it was considered the best for black.

As black I used to play Na5 but I could never get much play against d3. White always had a better centre.

I played the Qf3 line against IM Andrew Martin many years ago. He played the book move (Rb8). I was three pawns up at move 16 and resigned on move 19.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I played the Qf3 line against IM Andrew Martin many years ago. He played the book move (Rb8). I was three pawns up at move 16 and resigned on move 19.

Sorry i meant Rb8.

Do you remember what you played? were you just too greedy.

I can't remember my plan but i know I put my white bishop on an odd square.

Also you say Nf6 is more common, is that the case with super GM's as well? When Kaspy played bc4 he seems to get bc5 reply a lot.

Originally posted by Korch
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.

worth consideration? 6.d4! Is the correct move, ask any GM and he'll tell you. In my opinion 6.Nxf7 deserves a question mark.

Originally posted by rotk
worth consideration? 6.d4! Is the correct move, ask any GM and he'll tell you. In my opinion 6.Nxf7 deserves a question mark.

Dont be so categoric. I dont know this line too well, and maybe this is called strongest line at the moment but I can say that in many openings estimation on one or another line have changed many line. I will agree that 6.Nxf7 is mistake only in case if 6.d4 is winning or giving for white large and clear advantage.