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Final position — Black is winning

Nimzo-Indian Defence

Nimzo-Indian Defence: Opening Trap #2

Black wins in 8 moves with a decisive material gain. (Van Mil - Witt)

The moves

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 c5 5.Nf3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ne4 7.Qc2 Qa5 8.Nb3 Qf5
1.d4Nf6
2.c4e6
3.Nc3Bb4
4.g3c5
5.Nf3cxd4
6.Nxd4Ne4
7.Qc2Qa5
8.Nb3Qf5

How the Nimzo-Indian Defence: Opening Trap #2 works

The Nimzo-Indian Defence: Opening Trap #2 is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Nimzo-Indian Defence. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 8, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 c5 5.Nf3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ne4 7.Qc2 Qa5 8.Nb3 Qf5. 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 (Van Mil - Witt). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Nimzo-Indian Defence: Opening Trap #2 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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