Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, King March Line

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C57), reached after 13 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7. Ke3.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, King March Line is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C57. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 13 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 5. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7. Ke3.

It belongs to the Italian Game family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Two Knights Defense → Traxler Counterattack → King March Line line). The immediate parent line is Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, transitioned via 7.Ke3.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.Bc4 Nf6, 4.Ng5 Bc5, 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+, 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.