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Final position — White is winning

Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap #2

White wins in 13 moves with a decisive material gain. (Chess traps - Ruy Lopez draw - C67 - https://lichess.org/@/AbhiCricket)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.exd6 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bb5Nf6
4.O-ONxe4
5.d4Nd6
6.dxe5Nxb5
7.a4Nbd4
8.Nxd4d5
9.exd6Nxd4
10.Qxd4Qxd6
11.Qe4+Qe6
12.Qd4Qd6
13.Qe4+Qe6

How the Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap #2 works

The Ruy Lopez: Opening Trap #2 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 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.exd6 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6. 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 (Chess traps - Ruy Lopez draw - C67 - https://lichess.org/@/AbhiCricket). 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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