strongest line for white against the traxler count

1.e4 e5 2.nf3 nc6 3.bc4 nf6 4.ng5? bc5? (much better here is d5) 5.nf7 (this analysis won't include bf7) bf2 6.kf2! (6.kf1 qe7 7.nh8 d5 is fine for black) ne4 7.kg1 (this analysis won't include the move ke3 either) qh4 8.g3 ng3 9.nh8 (9.hg3? qg3 10.kf1 rf8 0-1) nh1 besides the moves ke3 and bf7, this is the strongest variation i cood find. i believe in this position black can just barely get away with a draw... why wood anyone play an opening that you can only jusy barely draw with the best moves? i bet its just about as sound as the damiano defence, which i think with best play black can get a draw. anyone disagree? i also believe the cochrane gambit is a draw.

The lines of best percentage in a 3 million game database are

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Bxf7+ Ke7

either that or nf7 bf2 kf2 ne4 kg1 qh4 g3 ng3 nh8 nh1 (ne4? qf3 ng5 bf7 ke7 qg3 winning), and black has problems drawing

In fact, the traxler counterattack has been refuted by such a simple variation! Shame on you Dan Heisman for spending thousands of hours of computer analysis and not seeing an easily winning variation for white!

Originally posted by bobbob1056th
In fact, the traxler counterattack has been refuted by such a simple variation! Shame on you Dan Heisman for spending thousands of hours of computer analysis and not seeing an easily winning variation for white!