Fried Liver Attack

The Fried Liver Attack is a specific branch of the Two Knights Defense. It appears after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7. White's knight takes the f7-pawn and attacks Black's queen on d8 and rook on h8 at the same time. This is a fork, an attack by one piece against two targets.

Black normally answers 6...Kxf7, using the king to capture the knight. White has given up a piece for only a pawn, but gains checks, rapid development, and access to a king that has been pulled into the center. The compensation is activity and attacking time, not an immediate material return.

The sacrifice turns material into initiative

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StartNg5d5exd5Nxd5Nxf7Kxf7Qf3+

The Two Knights Defense

Black attacks e4 with the knight on f6. White can respond quietly or direct two pieces against f7.

An early Ng5 against f7 is not automatically the Fried Liver. The name requires Black's risky 5...Nxd5 and White's 6.Nxf7 sacrifice. If Black chooses 5...Na5 instead, the bishop is attacked and this exact variation is avoided. Recognizing the whole sequence prevents a common naming mistake.

Black's reply determines the variation name

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5...Na5 attacks the bishop and avoids the specific sequence with 6.Nxf7.

Not every early attack on f7 is the Fried Liver

The position after 5.exd5 does not yet have that name. Black's choice determines whether the classical sacrifice is available.

1. 5...Na5 attacks the bishop and avoids the specific sequence with 6.Nxf7.
2. Only 5...Nxd5 allows 6.Nxf7 and leads to the Fried Liver Attack.