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Final position — Black is winning

Scandinavian Defence

Scandinavian Defence: White Queen Trap (Zabrzeski–Angelov)

Black wins in 9 moves with a decisive material gain. (Zabrzeski - Angelov, Budapest 1967)

The moves

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.d4 e5 7.Nxe5 Bxe2 8.Nxc6 Qxc3+ 9.bxc3 Bxd1
1.e4d5
2.exd5Qxd5
3.Nf3Bg4
4.Be2Nc6
5.Nc3Qa5
6.d4e5
7.Nxe5Bxe2
8.Nxc6Qxc3+
9.bxc3Bxd1

How the Scandinavian Defence: White Queen Trap (Zabrzeski–Angelov) works

The Scandinavian Defence: White Queen Trap (Zabrzeski–Angelov) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Scandinavian Defence. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 9, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.d4 e5 7.Nxe5 Bxe2 8.Nxc6 Qxc3+ 9.bxc3 Bxd1. Each move looks reasonable, which is exactly why the trap is so effective over the board — White walks into it while trying to play "normal" developing moves.

This pattern is well known from master and correspondence play (Zabrzeski - Angelov, Budapest 1967). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Scandinavian Defence: White Queen Trap (Zabrzeski–Angelov) in the Trapsterapp to play it out on a live board, drill it in practice mode, and learn how to avoid it when it's set for you — along with the full library of chess traps and gambits, fully offline.

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