The Traxler Counter Attack

Boris Alterman writes: "After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5

the Czech chess player and problemist Karel Traxler discovered a daring move. Black completely ignores the threats against f7 and simply plays 4…Bc5! This looks like a horrible blunder, but is there a point that we are underestimating behind this move?

When we look at 4.Ng5 more carefully we can see the obvious problem – by playing Ng5 White has crossed the red line – don’t move the same piece twice in the opening. So, taking advantage of this inaccuracy, Black is developing his pieces in gambit style.

The Traxler counterattack has been the subject of scrutiny by amateur chess players for decades, but nowadays professional should pay attention too, because 4.Ng5 is becoming pretty common even in serious tournaments."

GM Boris Alterman is 34, and lives in Israel. He was born in Kharkov, Ukraine, where he started playing chess at the age of 7. His career highlights include earning the IM title in 1991 and the GM title in 1992.He is the winner of the following Open and GM tournaments: Haifa 1993; Bad Homburg 1996; Rishon LeZion 1996; Beijing 1995 and 1997; Munchen 1992. His hobbies include computers and swimming, his favourite food is Chinese, he speaks fluent Russian, Hebrew and English.

Boris has worked for and against Garry Kasparov. In 1999 he assisted the world champion in his spectacular Microsoft match Kasparov vs The World, and was also part of the team that built up the web portal Kasparov Chess. In 2003, on the other hand, he was part of the Deep Junior team that gave Kasparov a run for his money in the New York match.

Boris Alterman will hold his lectures on Sundays at 21:00h Server time and a simultaneous exhibition on Mondays at 21:00h server time (in the "Simultaneous Exhibitions" room).

Here are the world-wide starting times for Alterman's lectures.
The simuls are at the same times one day later.