Italian Game Anti Fried Liver Defense
Italian Game – Anti Fried Liver Defense
Definition
The Anti Fried Liver (often shortened to “Anti-Fried”) is a branch of the Italian Game that arises after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5
With 5…Na5 Black side–steps the ultra-sharp Fried Liver Attack (5…Nxd5?! 6.Nxf7) by immediately attacking the white bishop on c4 instead of greedily recapturing the d-pawn. The idea is to neutralize White’s tactical ambitions, regain the pawn under calmer circumstances, and steer the game toward a sound, strategic middlegame.
Typical Move Order
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- Bc4 Nf6
- Ng5 d5
- exd5 Na5 ( Anti Fried Liver Defense )
- Bb5+ c6
- dxc6 bxc6
(Black regains the pawn with a healthy structure and the bishop pair.)
Strategic Ideas
- Safety First. By avoiding 5…Nxd5?! Black keeps the king out of immediate danger and removes the Nxf7 sacrifice from White’s arsenal.
- Bishop Pair Advantage. The …Na5-…c6-…bxc6 sequence often yields Black the two bishops versus bishop & knight, a long-term asset in open or semi-open positions.
- Queenside Majority. After recapturing on c6 with the b-pawn, Black obtains a 3-vs-2 pawn majority on the queenside that can become an end-game trump.
- Central Counterplay. Black will usually finish development with …Be7, …0-0, …h6 (kicking the g5-knight), and timely …e4 or …f5 breaks to challenge the centre.
- White’s Plans. White may aim for d4 breaks, quick castling, and exploiting the temporarily misplaced a5-knight. However, accurate play by Black typically equalises.
Historical Context
The line was examined in 16th-century Italian treatises by Giulio Cesare Polerio and later refined by Giovanni Lolli, which is why it is sometimes labelled the Polerio-Lolli Variation. In modern times it re-emerged as the weapon of choice for players seeking a solid answer to the popular junior-level gambit, the Fried Liver. Grandmasters such as Vassily Smyslov, Anatoly Karpov, and contemporary stars like Fabiano Caruana have all defended successfully with 5…Na5.
Illustrative Game
Karjakin – Nepomniachtchi, Russian Ch. 2013
After 16 moves Black had solved every opening problem, enjoyed the bishop pair, and eventually won a model game demonstrating the Anti-Fried concept.
Usage in Modern Play
The Anti Fried Liver is the main-line recommendation of many contemporary opening manuals and engines for Black. Club players appreciate its clarity: memorise a handful of key moves (…Na5, …c6, …bxc6, …h6) and you are essentially “Fried-Liver-proof.” Meanwhile, strong GMs employ it because it yields a fundamentally sound structure without conceding dynamic chances.
Typical Plans & Traps
- Do not forget …h6! If Black omits …h6, White’s knight can linger on g5, eyeing f7 and sometimes hopping to e4 or f3 with tempo.
- 6. Bb5+ is considered the most critical test. Black should answer 6…c6! 7.dxc6 bxc6, not 6…Bd7? which allows 7.dxc6 and White keeps an extra pawn.
- Early d4 by White. After 6.d4!? Black can calmly continue 6…Nxc4 7.dxe5 Nxd5 with approximate material balance and no mating nets.
- Poisoned Pawn on f7. Even after …Na5, the flashy sacrifice 6.Nxf7? Kxf7 7.Be2 still fails: Black’s queen defends e6 and the extra piece tells.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The dramatic name “Fried Liver” probably comes from feaglio fritto (Italian for “fried liver”), a tongue-in-cheek way early masters described what happens to Black’s king if he rashly enters the main line with 5…Nxd5?!
- In scholastic tournaments the Fried Liver is ubiquitous. Coaches often teach the Anti-Fried first so that young players can survive the opening and practise endgames rather than be checkmated on move 10.
- Engines rate 5…Na5 as giving ≈0.00 equality, whereas 5…Nxd5?! dives to +1.5 or worse for Black—proof that the anti-line is no mere sideline but the objectively correct defense.
- Some grandmasters prefer the even more provocative 5…Nd4!? (the Traxler Counterfry), but that leads to wild complications outside the scope of the classic Anti-Fried system.
Summary
The Italian Game’s Anti Fried Liver Defense is a reliable, theoretically approved antidote to one of chess’s oldest and deadliest mating attacks. By calmly sidestepping tactical landmines with 5…Na5, Black steers the game into balanced, strategically rich waters while preserving the initiative potential of the bishop pair and queenside pawn majority.