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Final position — Black is winning

Reti Opening

Reti Opening: Opening Trap (Kapischka–Kupreichik)

Black wins in 8 moves with a decisive material gain. (Kapischka - Kupreichik, Germany 1992)

The moves

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.c4 d6 6.Nc3 e5 7.d3 Nh5 8.b4 e4
1.Nf3Nf6
2.g3g6
3.Bg2Bg7
4.O-OO-O
5.c4d6
6.Nc3e5
7.d3Nh5
8.b4e4

How the Reti Opening: Opening Trap (Kapischka–Kupreichik) works

The Reti Opening: Opening Trap (Kapischka–Kupreichik) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Reti Opening. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 8, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.c4 d6 6.Nc3 e5 7.d3 Nh5 8.b4 e4. 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 (Kapischka - Kupreichik, Germany 1992). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Reti Opening: Opening Trap (Kapischka–Kupreichik) 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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