Final position — Black is winning
Alapin Sicilian Trap
Black wins in 15 moves with a decisive material gain.
The moves
| 1. | e4 | c5 |
| 2. | c3 | Nf6 |
| 3. | e5 | Nd5 |
| 4. | d4 | cxd4 |
| 5. | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 6. | Bc4 | Nb6 |
| 7. | Bb3 | d5 |
| 8. | exd6 | Qxd6 |
| 9. | O-O | Be6 |
| 10. | Na3 | dxc3 |
| 11. | Qe2 | Bxb3 |
| 12. | Nb5 | Qd7 |
| 13. | axb3 | a6 |
| 14. | Rd1 | Qc8 |
| 15. | Nd6+ |
How the Alapin Sicilian Trap works
The Alapin Sicilian Trap is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Sicilian Defence. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 15, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.
The full sequence runs 1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.O-O Be6 10.Na3 dxc3 11.Qe2 Bxb3 12.Nb5 Qd7 13.axb3 a6 14.Rd1 Qc8 15.Nd6+. 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 Alapin Sicilian Trap 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.