As Black

Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack

The Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack is a chess opening for Black that starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5.

The most aggressive answer to the Fried Liver setup. Black sacrifices a bishop.

Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero

Basic · Elo 400 – 600

Train this level

  1. Deadly mate · 7.Ke1

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke1 Qh4+ 8.g3 Nxg3 9.Nxh8 Ne4+ 10.Ke2 Qf2+ 11.Kd3 Nb4+ 12.Kxe4 Qf4#

  2. Deadly mate · 8.Nxh8

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.Nxh8 Qf4+ 9.Kd3 Nb4+ 10.Ke2 Qf2#

  3. Deadly mate · 8.Qf3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.Qf3 Nf6 9.Nxh8 Nd4 10.Bf7+ Ke7 11.Qg3 Qe4+ 12.Kf2 Qe2+ 13.Kg1 Qd1+ 14.Kf2 Ne4+ 15.Ke3 Qe2#

  4. Deadly mate · 9.c3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.c3 Bg4 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.cxd4 Qf6 12.dxe5 Qf4 13.Bb5 Bd4+ 14.Ke1 Qf2#

  5. Deadly mate · 9.Kxf2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.Kxf2 Ng4+ 10.Ke1 Qf6 11.Rf1 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qxh2 13.c3 Qxg3+ 14.Rf2 Qxf2#

  6. Deadly mate · 8.g3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kf1 Qh4 8.g3 Qf6+ 9.Kg2 Qf2+ 10.Kh3 d6+ 11.Kh4 Qf6+ 12.Kh5 Qf5+ 13.Ng5 Qxg5#

  7. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line · 7...Qh4 8.g3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kg1 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3 9.hxg3 Qxg3+ 10.Kf1 Rf8

  8. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line · 5...Bxf2+ 6.Kf1

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.d6 Qxd6 10.Nf7 Qc5

  9. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, King March Line

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3

  10. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line · 7...Qh4 8.Qf3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kg1 Qh4 8.Qf3 Rf8

Intermediate · Elo 800 – 1000

Train this level

  1. Deadly mate · 8.Nxh8

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.Nxh8 Qf4+ 9.Ke2 Qf2+ 10.Kd3 Nb4+ 11.Kxe4 Qf4#

  2. Opponent's mistake · 8.Bxd5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.Bxd5 Bg4 9.Kxf2 Bxd1 10.Rxd1 Ng4+ 11.Kg3 Qg5 12.d4 Ne3+ 13.Kf3 Nxd4+ 14.Rxd4 exd4

  3. Opponent's mistake · 9.Kxf2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.Kxf2 Ng4+ 10.Ke1 Qf6 11.Rf1 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qxh2 13.d3 Nxc2+ 14.Qxc2 Qxc2

  4. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, King March Line

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3 9.hxg3 Qd4+

  5. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line · 7...Qh4 8.Qf3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kg1 Qh4 8.Qf3 Rf8 9.d3 Qe1+ 10.Qf1 Qxf1+ 11.Kxf1 Nd6 12.Ke2 Nxc4

  6. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line · 7...Qh4 8.Qf1

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Kg1 Qh4 8.Qf1 Rf8 9.d3 Nd6

  7. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line · 6...Rf8 7.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bb3 Rf8 7.d3 d6 8.O-O Bg4 9.Qe1 h6

  8. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line · 5...Ke7 6.Bc4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bc4 Rf8 7.O-O h6 8.Nf3 Nxe4 9.d3 d5 10.Bb5 Nxf2

  9. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line · 7...d6 8.Nc3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bb3 Rf8 7.O-O d6 8.Nc3 Nd4 9.Nd5+ Ke8

  10. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line · 7...d6 8.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bb3 Rf8 7.O-O d6 8.d3 Bg4 9.Nf3 Nd4

  11. Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Bishop Sacrifice Line · 7...d6 8.c3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bb3 Rf8 7.O-O d6 8.c3 Bg4 9.Qe1 h6

Frequently asked questions

Is the Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack good for beginners?

Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo 400 – 600), Intermediate (Elo 800 – 1000). It suits players who like attacks, gambits and open positions.

What traps are there in the Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack?

OpeningCraft teaches 9 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Deadly mate (7.Ke1); Deadly mate (8.Nxh8); Deadly mate (8.Qf3).

How many lines of the Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack do you need to learn?

OpeningCraft teaches 21, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.

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