Chessy
The Traxler Counterattack: After 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+
White has just snatched a rook with 5.Nxf7, and now you have a choice to make. If you play the natural 5…Bxf2+, you enter one of the wildest positions in chess. The engine says White's best reply leaves them with a clear advantage, but here's the real story: Black actually wins more than half the games from this exact position — 55.6% of the time, to be precise. White's choice is far from obvious, and most opponents get it wrong. This page shows you how to punish the most common reply and keep the attack rolling. Jump into the drill below and try it yourself.
Play the Traxler Counterattack: Nxf7 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Now it's your turn — play the position against our adapting engine and see if you can convert Black's attack. Create a free Chessy account to track your results
Create a free account →The One Move Most Opponents Get Wrong
In the starting position after 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+, White has three legal king moves. By far the most popular is 6.Kxf2, played over 646,000 times in the Lichess database. That's bad news for White — Stockfish calls it an inaccuracy that loses roughly 0.7 pawns compared to the best move. White's score drops to just 33.9% after Kxf2, meaning you win about two out of every three games when your opponent chooses this. The reason is simple: your queen and knight join the attack fast, and White's king becomes too exposed to survive the opening. Always play 6…Qe7 next, threatening check on h4 and getting your queen into the fight.
What to Do Against the Best Reply: 6.Kf1
The engine's top choice is 6.Kf1, and Stockfish evaluates the position at +1.07 — a clear edge for White. That means you are worse here, and your opponent has navigated the trickiest branch correctly. But the game is far from over. The engine's suggested continuation runs 6…Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5. You sacrifice a rook for now, but you get a monster pawn centre and huge attacking chances. Your queen is active, your dark-squared bishop still patrols the long diagonal, and White's knight is stuck on h8. Most club players won't find the precise defensive moves under pressure. Your job is to play actively: develop quickly, open lines, and keep the king uncomfortable.
A Third Option — and a Big Blunder — to Know About
There's a third king move, 6.Ke2, played in about 12,000 games. This one is a full mistake, costing White roughly 2.3 pawns compared to Kf1. White's score plummets to 33.6%, almost identical to the disastrous Kxf2 line. After 6.Ke2, your plan is even simpler: bring out the queen with 6…Qe7, and White's king is stuck in the centre with no easy way to safety. The king on e2 blocks their own pieces and gives you time to develop and pile on the pressure. If you face 6.Ke2, you can be confident that your position is excellent.
What the Statistics Tell You About Playing Black
Across over a million games, the raw numbers tell a story that the engine evaluation alone doesn't capture. Despite Stockfish calling this position +1.07 in White's favour, Black scores 55.6% overall, White wins only 42.1%, and draws are rare at 2.3%. That massive gap exists because the best move (6.Kf1) appears in roughly 421,000 games, while the inaccurate Kxf2 is the choice in over 646,000 games — meaning most opponents at club level walk into the bad line. If you know your replies — especially against Kxf2 — you are the one playing for a win. The Traxler is not an opening where you equalise quietly; it is an opening where you bet on your opponent making a mistake, and the odds are on your side.
Results across 1,080,188 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Kxf2 | 646,056 | 33.9% |
| Kf1 | 421,784 | 54.9% |
| Ke2 | 12,348 | 33.6% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Traxler Counterattack sound for Black?
Objectively, Stockfish gives White an edge of +1.07 after 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+, so theoretically White should be better with best play. But in practice, Black wins 55.6% of games at club level because most opponents play the inaccurate 6.Kxf2 instead of the correct 6.Kf1. The Traxler is a practical weapon, not a theoretical equaliser.
What is the best response when White plays 6.Kxf2?
Your best move is 6…Qe7, threatening check on h4 and starting a powerful attack. White has scored only 33.9% from this position across over 646,000 games, so you are well on top. Follow up by developing quickly and keeping White's king exposed in the centre.
How should I handle the move 6.Kf1 as White?
The engine recommends 6…Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5. You are sacrificing the exchange, but you get a strong pawn centre and active piece play. White still has an edge (Stockfish +1.07), so you are worse objectively, but you have practical counterplay and most opponents struggle to defend accurately.
What is the worst move for White in this position?
The move 6.Ke2 is a clear mistake, losing roughly 2.3 pawns compared to the best move 6.Kf1. White scores only 33.6% after Ke2. Your plan is still 6…Qe7, and White's king will be stuck in the centre and badly placed for the rest of the opening.