I invented a weird reverse Stafford Gambit (Comes from Italian Game)

So you read the title and I won't repeat myself but would this Stafford Gambit for white work?

Your move has been played thousands of times on lichess.

Black move 3…Nf6 is attacking e4 pawn.

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White main move is 4.d3 defending the pawn.

It is the Main Solid line to play.

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The move 4. Ng5 is an alternative way to defend e4 pawn while at same time setting up counter attack on f7 pawn. It is more aggressive way of playing.

All the lines you mentioned are fine for white:

White plays Bf1 against Ulvestad.

White plays Bb5+ against Polerio.

White plays Bxf7+ against Traxler.

The Traxler is also considered unplayable in higher levels of chess because white is border line refuting it.

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In addition to all the above, White can play 4.d4 which doesn’t defend e4 pawn, but set up counter attack on e5 pawn. If Black takes d4 pawn with e5 pawn, the line transposes into Scotch Gambit which is playable and fine line.

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The line your saying is bad. You can play it, but it’s bad and it will always be considered bad and engine is right in saying it is bad.

For the record, I want to say just because a line is bad doesn’t mean you shouldn’t play it.

Chess is also about having fun.

The line your showing from objective stand point seems to be faulty because your giving away a pawn + wrecking your pawn structure and the compensation your getting doesn’t seem to be that beneficial.

However, I think the line could be deadly.

From a practical stand point, The line seems to have a lot of traps and hidden dangers lurking with in the position.

I can see why you would want to play a line like this. It looks like it could be a lot of fun and you could pick up some also attacking wins with it.

With out the help of an engine, I was thinking how I would play Black in this position.

The line I came up with actually gives white the pawn back.

The above position is how I would play it as Black.

It gives pawn back, but White still has bad pawn structure and is down 1 center pawn.

Also, the lead in white development seems to be all gone.

I think Black can stabilize the position.

I feel like the position would be close to equal with Black having small edge.

The Small edge might not be big enough to slowly grind white down.

‘The game might result in draw, but I think Black has done well.

A lot of games you play Black is always on back foot because white has initiative.

‘I think the above line removes anything white could have and they are just left with positional weaknesses.

‘Black plan is very easy as well g6, Bg7, d6, moving Rook to open E file.

‘There could be other ways for Black to play and potentially hold on to the pawn. I don’t look at every position. I just sort of saw a line I liked and that is what it was above.

I don't think it's as bad as you think it is. I probably wouldn't play it myself, but it scores okay, probably just due to the familiarity advantage... the very natural move 6... Be7 white is even again after 7. Qd4 O-O 8. Nxe4, but white scores well here in practice.. it's a position you can learn with equal material. To maintain advantage Black really needs to find 6... f6 or 6... h6, but that's not so easy to find and against 6... f6 there are still good chances if you learn the line deeper. 6... h6 does look unsettling though but at 2200+ level on lichess it's only played 8% of the time, and you can still find a way to slug it out. So if that doesn't bother you... it's a way to get out of theory in the italian, have at it. Personally I'd just play something other than the italian if I wanted to avoid theory.

6…f6, h6, and Be7 all defend the g5 square.

White has double attack on d4 and g5 squares in some lines the combination of Queen on d4 and Knight or Bishop on g5 is devastating.

It’s devastating because Black is having to deal with 2 threats, but can play 1 move which causes black position to be over run.

For the above reasons, Black needs to take preemptive measures on move 6.

They need to start trying to defend the d4 or g5 squares sooner. The d4 square isn’t easy to defend so that leaves only g5 square.

6…Be7 defends g5.

It gives material back, but the position is very natural position to play. Black position is fine.

The other moves 6…f6 or 6…h6 try to hold on to pawn and defend g5 square. They would be the critical lines for sure, but white will have some more play vs. them lines

White has very little against 6... h6, but good play against 6... f6.

After f6, isn't there Qf7#?

And h6 as well

Actually, the Fried Liver is not "Recommended" by any engine that is legit - if you give it long enough, not 10 seconds, Stockfish 17 concludes 4.d3 is best - and no engine will ever truly know the best move that early on.

All engines can do is calculate. They are great at figuring out forced lines. Late in a game, when say, half the pieces and pawns have been captured, computers can evaluate positions to the end.

And from Black's perspective, he should NEVER allow the Fried Liver and should play 5...Na5 instead with equality.

Equality? I think you mean an even game. White has the usual advantage and play is more doubled-edged than most openings.