Final position — Black is winning
Two Knights Defence: Nxh7 Sacrifice
Black wins in 11 moves with a decisive material gain. (Matula - Leisebein, Postal 1988)
The moves
| 1. | e4 | e5 |
| 2. | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 3. | Bc4 | Nf6 |
| 4. | Ng5 | Bc5 |
| 5. | Bxf7+ | Ke7 |
| 6. | Bc4 | Rf8 |
| 7. | Be2 | Bxf2+ |
| 8. | Kxf2 | Nxe4+ |
| 9. | Ke1 | Nf2 |
| 10. | Nxh7 | Nxd1 |
| 11. | Nxf8 | Qxf8 |
How the Two Knights Defence: Nxh7 Sacrifice works
The Two Knights Defence: Nxh7 Sacrifice is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Two Knights Defence. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 11, 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.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bc4 Rf8 7.Be2 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 9.Ke1 Nf2 10.Nxh7 Nxd1 11.Nxf8 Qxf8. 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 (Matula - Leisebein, Postal 1988). 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: Nxh7 Sacrifice 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.