Chessy
Traxler Counterattack: Bxf7+ – Playing for a Win with Black
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5, White grabs a pawn with 5.Bxf7+, dragging your king to e7. The engine gives +1.18, a clear edge for White on paper — but this is the Traxler, where calculation matters more than numbers. Across over 200,000 online games, Black actually scores a respectable 46.3% from here. More importantly, many of White's natural-looking moves are outright blunders that hand you the advantage. The drill below will train you to punish them on sight.
Play the Traxler Counterattack: Bxf7+ against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to turn the tables? The interactive drill above trains you to spot White's blunders and strike back with precision in the Traxler Counterattack.
Create a free account →Why the Traxler Works Despite the Engine Number
Stockfish says +1.18, meaning White is objectively better. But the engine assumes perfect play, and the Traxler is built on the fact that humans — even strong players — struggle to find the precise defensive moves under pressure. After 5...Ke7 your king is exposed but your pieces are already developed and active. White's bishop on f7 is a target, your two bishops rake dangerous diagonals, and any White move that doesn't consolidate can backfire immediately. The statistics reflect this: White scores 51.2%, Black 46.3%, with only 2.5% draws. That means nearly half the time, Black wins — a fantastic result for a position the engine says is losing.
The Engine's Answer: Bc4 is White's Only Safe Move
The engine's top recommendation is Bc4, retreating the attacked bishop to a square where it eyes f7 again and keeps the position solid. The full plan is Bc4 Qe8 Nc3 Rf8 — White brings the knight to c3 and prepares to stabilise. This is the line you should expect from a well-prepared opponent. Against Bc4, Black's position is objectively worse but still playable; your active pieces and king-side pressure give you practical chances that the engine's +1.18 doesn't fully capture. If White knows theory, you have a tough defensive task ahead — but the drill will help you navigate it.
The Three Blunders White Plays Most Often
This is where the Traxler really rewards you. The database shows that amateurs love three moves here — and all three are blunders that lose several pawns' worth of advantage. O-O (castling into it!) is played in nearly 29,000 games and loses roughly 3.9 pawns. Nc3, played over 5,600 times, loses about 3.1 pawns. And d3, seen in over 4,200 games, loses about 3.2 pawns. The engine says Bc4 was better in every case. If your opponent chooses any of these, you should be the one pressing for a win. The drill includes these lines so you can practice the punishing replies until they're automatic.
What the Statistics Tell You About Your Opponent
The most popular move by far is Bb3, played in 96,026 games — nearly half of all encounters. White scores 54.5% with it, which is decent but far from crushing. Bb3 is safer than the blunders but still not the engine's top choice. Bd5 appears in 20,855 games and scores even higher at 57.4%, but it's trickier to handle. Knowing the popularity of these moves helps you prepare: you'll face Bb3 most often, so that's the line to drill first. When you see Bc4 you're facing a prepared opponent; when you see O-O, Nc3, or d3, you can sense blood.
Results across 203,849 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bb3 | 96,026 | 54.5% |
| Bc4 | 40,576 | 54.5% |
| O-O | 28,892 | 36.8% |
| Bd5 | 20,855 | 57.4% |
| Nc3 | 5,664 | 45.8% |
| d3 | 4,243 | 39.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Traxler Counterattack sound for Black?
Objectively, no — the engine gives White +1.18 after 5.Bxf7+ Ke7. But 'sound' and 'playable' are different things in club chess. Black scores 46.3% from this position across over 200,000 games, and many natural White moves are blunders that lose the advantage. For practical play, the Traxler is a dangerous weapon.
Which White move in the Traxler is the biggest blunder?
O-O is the worst, losing about 3.9 pawns compared to the engine's best move Bc4. Castling kingside into Black's attacking pieces is a natural but fatal mistake. Nc3 (loses ~3.1 pawns) and d3 (loses ~3.2 pawns) are also serious blunders you should learn to punish.
What is the best move for White after 5.Bxf7+ Ke7?
The engine recommends Bc4, planning Qe8 Nc3 Rf8. This retreat keeps White's advantage intact. If your opponent plays Bc4, you're in for a tough game — but if they play anything else, you may have an edge.
How often does White win in the Traxler Bxf7+ line?
White wins 51.2% of the time, Black wins 46.3%, and only 2.5% of games are drawn. Those are excellent odds for Black given the engine evaluation, and they reflect how hard the position is for White to play in practice.