Fried Liver Attack - Fritz Variation (5...Nd4)
After 4...d5 5.exd5, Black retreats with 5...Nd4 into the Fritz Variation. Meet it with 6.c3, let 7.Bf1 bait ...Nxd5, then hit back with 8.cxd4 and 9.Bxb5+. Watch for 11.d3? Nf4 mate, so play 11.Qf3 instead, hitting f7. You'll often reach a position with doubled isolated d-pawns but strong piece activity.
Let's learn the Fritz Variation! Black sends its knight to d4 and grabs our pawn on d5, but that pawn is a trap. We let Black take it, then strike back with cxd4. After the knights are traded, Bxb5+ wins a pawn. Let's begin with 1.e4.
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Scroll the moves: the board follows.
Key lines
The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.
- Main Line
… 8... Qxg5 9. Bxb5+ Kd8 10. O-O Bb7 11. Qf3
- 6...Nf5
… 6. c3 Nf5 7. d3 h6 8. Nf3 Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 Re8 11. Nbd2 a6 12. Bb3
- 6...Nf5
… 6. c3 Nf5 7. d3 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. dxe4 Nh4 11. Qh5
- 6...Nf5
… 6. c3 Nf5 7. d3 Nd6 8. Bb3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 h6 11. Nf3 e4 12. dxe4 Ndxe4 13. Be3
- 7...Nf5
… 7. Bf1 Nf5 8. Bxb5+ Nd7 9. d4
- 7...Nf5
… 7. Bf1 Nf5 8. Bxb5+ Bd7 9. Qa4
- 7...h6
… 7. Bf1 h6 8. cxd4 hxg5 9. dxe5 Nxd5 10. Bxb5+ Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Qxd7 12. O-O
- 9...Bd7
… 9. Bxb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Kxd7 11. O-O exd4 12. d3
Other chapters
Steinitz Variation (9.Nh3)
After 8.Be2, Black plays 8...h6 to kick your knight back. Meet it with 9.Nh3, and after 9...Bxh3 10.gxh3 Bc5, castle and follow with 12.Nc3, eyeing d5. You get the bishop pair and a queenside majority, against Black's isolated c6 pawn, while your own f-pawn and doubled h-pawns need care.
10 linesPolerio Defense (6...Bd7)
After 6.Bb5+, Black blocks with ...Bd7, then plays ...Bd6 and castles kingside. Meet it with Qe2, defending your bishop and eyeing e5, then O-O, Bxd7, Nc3, dxc6 and d3 to cover e4. Aim for a position where you hold a queenside pawn majority.
8 linesFried Liver Attack (6.Nxf7)
After 4...d5 and 5...Nxd5, strike with 6.Nxf7 and 7.Qf3+, launching the Fried Liver Attack. Follow up with 8.Nc3, 9.O-O, 10.d4, and 13.Rd1, improving every piece. Watch for the common mistakes 10...Nxc2 and 11...Nxa1, both of which we punish. You reach a winning position with a passed e5 pawn against Black's isolated d5 pawn.
7 linesUlvestad Variation (5...b5)
After 4...d5 5.exd5, Black strikes with ...b5, hitting your bishop on c4. Retreat with 6.Bf1, then meet ...Nxd5 with Bxb5, d4, O-O, Qh5 and Qh6, pinning the e7 bishop with Re1. Watch the Qxd5 line, where Bxc6+ can win Black's queen. You aim for active piece play with a queenside pawn majority.
11 linesTraxler Counterattack (4...Bc5)
Castle, play Nc3, and jump Nd5+ when possible, meeting ...h6 with Qh5+ then Nb6, hitting the rook and threatening mate on f7. Watch for ...Bg4 tries, since Nd5+ there just wins material. Aim for a safe king and a kingside pawn majority.
9 linesPonziani-Steinitz Gambit (4...Nxe4)
The opponent blunders with 4...Nxe4. Reply 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.d4, then after 6...Nxd4 7.c3 Nc6 8.Bb3 Nf6, play 9.Nf7 with a plan of Nxh8 and Bg5, pinning the f6 knight. Watch for 7...Nc6, a common mistake that traps Black's king in the center.
3 lines
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