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Final position — Black is winning

English Opening

English Opening: White Queen Trap (Molero–Lootsma)

Black wins in 9 moves with a decisive material gain. (Molero - Lootsma, 1980.??.??)

The moves

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.d3 d5 5.Bg5 d4 6.Ne4 Nxe4 7.Bxd8 Bb4+ 8.Qd2 Bxd2+ 9.Kd1 Kxd8
1.c4e5
2.Nc3Nf6
3.g3c6
4.d3d5
5.Bg5d4
6.Ne4Nxe4
7.Bxd8Bb4+
8.Qd2Bxd2+
9.Kd1Kxd8

How the English Opening: White Queen Trap (Molero–Lootsma) works

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

The full sequence runs 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.d3 d5 5.Bg5 d4 6.Ne4 Nxe4 7.Bxd8 Bb4+ 8.Qd2 Bxd2+ 9.Kd1 Kxd8. 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 (Molero - Lootsma, 1980.??.??). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

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