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Final position — Black delivers mate

Two Knights Defence

Two Knights Defence: Bxf2 Sacrifice & Mate

Black wins in 10 moves by checkmate. (Werner - Kutzner, Germany 1993)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke1 Qh4+ 8.g3 Nxg3 9.Rf1 Nh1+ 10.Ke2 Qe4#
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bc4Nf6
4.Ng5Bc5
5.Nxf7Bxf2+
6.Kxf2Nxe4+
7.Ke1Qh4+
8.g3Nxg3
9.Rf1Nh1+
10.Ke2Qe4#

How the Two Knights Defence: Bxf2 Sacrifice & Mate works

The Two Knights Defence: Bxf2 Sacrifice & Mate is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Two Knights Defence. In this line Black delivers checkmate on move 10, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 7.Ke1 Qh4+ 8.g3 Nxg3 9.Rf1 Nh1+ 10.Ke2 Qe4#. 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 (Werner - Kutzner, Germany 1993). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Two Knights Defence: Bxf2 Sacrifice & Mate 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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