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Final position — White is winning

Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez: Black Queen Trap (Glass–Bauer)

White wins in 14 moves with a decisive material gain. (Glass - Bauer, Switzerland 1977)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd7 10.Bf4 O-O-O 11.Nc3 c6 12.Na4 b5 13.Nb6+ Kb7 14.Nxd7
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bb5a6
4.Bxc6dxc6
5.O-Of6
6.d4exd4
7.Nxd4c5
8.Nb3Qxd1
9.Rxd1Bd7
10.Bf4O-O-O
11.Nc3c6
12.Na4b5
13.Nb6+Kb7
14.Nxd7

How the Ruy Lopez: Black Queen Trap (Glass–Bauer) works

The Ruy Lopez: Black Queen Trap (Glass–Bauer) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Ruy Lopez. In this line White wins decisive material by move 14, 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 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd7 10.Bf4 O-O-O 11.Nc3 c6 12.Na4 b5 13.Nb6+ Kb7 14.Nxd7. 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 (Glass - Bauer, Switzerland 1977). 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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