abcdefgh

Final position — Black is winning

Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap (Uhlmeier–Kreutzkamp)

Black wins in 8 moves with a decisive material gain. (Uhlmeier - Kreutzkamp, 1989.??.??)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bb5a6
4.Ba4d6
5.d4b5
6.Bb3Nxd4
7.Nxd4exd4
8.Qxd4c5

How the Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap (Uhlmeier–Kreutzkamp) works

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

The full sequence runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5. 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 (Uhlmeier - Kreutzkamp, 1989.??.??). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap (Uhlmeier–Kreutzkamp) 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.

More Ruy Lopez traps

← Browse all chess traps