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Final position — Black is winning

Vienna Game

Würzburger Trap (Vienna Game)

Black wins in 12 moves with a decisive material gain.

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.d3 Qh4+ 6.g3 Nxg3 7.Nf3 Qh5 8.Nxd5 Bg4 9.Nf4 Bxf3 10.Nxh5 Bxd1 11.hxg3 Bxc2 12.b3
1.e4e5
2.Nc3Nf6
3.f4d5
4.fxe5Nxe4
5.d3Qh4+
6.g3Nxg3
7.Nf3Qh5
8.Nxd5Bg4
9.Nf4Bxf3
10.Nxh5Bxd1
11.hxg3Bxc2
12.b3

How the Würzburger Trap (Vienna Game) works

The Würzburger Trap (Vienna Game) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Vienna Game. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 12, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.d3 Qh4+ 6.g3 Nxg3 7.Nf3 Qh5 8.Nxd5 Bg4 9.Nf4 Bxf3 10.Nxh5 Bxd1 11.hxg3 Bxc2 12.b3. 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.

Recognising this pattern early lets you either spring it as Black or calmly sidestep it when you are White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Würzburger Trap (Vienna Game) 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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