Final position — Black is winning
Vienna Game: Opening Trap (Ninov–Nathan)
Black wins in 8 moves with a decisive material gain. (Ninov - Nathan, 1902)
The moves
| 1. | e4 | e5 |
| 2. | Nc3 | Nf6 |
| 3. | f4 | d5 |
| 4. | d4 | Bb4 |
| 5. | fxe5 | Nxe4 |
| 6. | Bd2 | Qh4+ |
| 7. | Ke2 | Qf2+ |
| 8. | Kd3 | Bf5 |
How the Vienna Game: Opening Trap (Ninov–Nathan) works
The Vienna Game: Opening Trap (Ninov–Nathan) is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Vienna Game. 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.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.d4 Bb4 5.fxe5 Nxe4 6.Bd2 Qh4+ 7.Ke2 Qf2+ 8.Kd3 Bf5. 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 (Ninov - Nathan, 1902). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.
Practice this trap move-by-move
Open the Vienna Game: Opening Trap (Ninov–Nathan) 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.