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Final position — White is winning

Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez: Wins a Pawn (Gonzales–Dyke)

White wins in 13 moves with a decisive material gain. (Gonzales - Dyke, Los Angeles 1976)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Re1 Ng6 10.Qe2 Bc5 11.hxg4 Nf4 12.Qd1 hxg4 13.Nb3 Qh6
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bb5a6
4.Bxc6dxc6
5.O-OBg4
6.h3h5
7.d3Qf6
8.Nbd2Ne7
9.Re1Ng6
10.Qe2Bc5
11.hxg4Nf4
12.Qd1hxg4
13.Nb3Qh6

How the Ruy Lopez: Wins a Pawn (Gonzales–Dyke) works

The Ruy Lopez: Wins a Pawn (Gonzales–Dyke) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Ruy Lopez. In this line White wins decisive material by move 13, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from Black.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Re1 Ng6 10.Qe2 Bc5 11.hxg4 Nf4 12.Qd1 hxg4 13.Nb3 Qh6. Each move looks reasonable, which is exactly why the trap is so effective over the board — Black walks into it while trying to play "normal" developing moves.

This pattern is well known from master and correspondence play (Gonzales - Dyke, Los Angeles 1976). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as White or sidestep it as Black.

Practice this trap move-by-move

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