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8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h

Position after 6...Kxf7

The Fried Liver Attack, also called the Fegatello Attack (Italian: "piece of liver"), is a chess opening. This colorfully named opening is a variation of the Two Knights Defence in which White sacrifices a knight as follows:

1.e4 e5

2.Nf3 Nc6

3.Bc4 Nf6

4.Ng5 d5

5.exd5 Nxd5?!

This move gives White a strong attack and is often considered to be a mistake. White can now get a safe advantage with 6.d4, the Lolli Attack. The Fried Liver Attack is the more speculative knight sacrifice on f7.

6.Nxf7 Kxf7

(See diagram.) Play usually continues:

7. Qf3+ Ke6

8. Nc3

Black will play 8...Nb4 or 8...Ne7 and follow up with ...c6, bolstering his pinned knight on d5.

White has a strong attack, but it hasn't yet been proven to be decisive. Because defense is harder to play than attack in games with short time limits, the Fried Liver is dangerous for Black in over-the-board play. Sometimes Black invites White to play the Fried Liver Attack in correspondence chess as the relaxed time limit affords Black a better opportunity to refute the White sacrifice.