abcdefgh

Final position — White delivers mate

King's gambit

Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2

White wins in 32 moves by checkmate. (Traps - Chess Traps - Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2 - C33 - https://lichess.org/@/gambits2pieces)

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 Bc5 5.d4 Bb6 6.Nf3 Qh6 7.g3 Qh3+ 8.Kf2 fxg3+ 9.hxg3 Qg4 10.Bxf7+ Kf8 11.Rh4 Qxh4 12.Nxh4 Kxf7 13.Bg5 Ke8 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Nc3 d6 16.Kg2 Bxd4 17.Rf1+ Bf6 18.Nd5 Nc6 19.Ng6+ hxg6 20.Qxh8 Bf5 21.exf5 Ne7 22.Nxe7 Kxe7 23.Qxg7+ Kd8 24.Qxg8+ Kd7 25.Qxa8 Kc6 26.Be3 Kd7 27.fxg6 Bd4 28.Bxd4 a6 29.Qxb7 d5 30.Qxd5+ Ke8 31.Rf8+ Kxf8 32.Qf7#
1.e4e5
2.f4exf4
3.Bc4Qh4+
4.Kf1Bc5
5.d4Bb6
6.Nf3Qh6
7.g3Qh3+
8.Kf2fxg3+
9.hxg3Qg4
10.Bxf7+Kf8
11.Rh4Qxh4
12.Nxh4Kxf7
13.Bg5Ke8
14.Qh5+Kf8
15.Nc3d6
16.Kg2Bxd4
17.Rf1+Bf6
18.Nd5Nc6
19.Ng6+hxg6
20.Qxh8Bf5
21.exf5Ne7
22.Nxe7Kxe7
23.Qxg7+Kd8
24.Qxg8+Kd7
25.Qxa8Kc6
26.Be3Kd7
27.fxg6Bd4
28.Bxd4a6
29.Qxb7d5
30.Qxd5+Ke8
31.Rf8+Kxf8
32.Qf7#

How the Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2 works

The Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2 is a classic chess opening trap arising from the King's gambit. In this line White delivers checkmate on move 32, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from Black.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 Bc5 5.d4 Bb6 6.Nf3 Qh6 7.g3 Qh3+ 8.Kf2 fxg3+ 9.hxg3 Qg4 10.Bxf7+ Kf8 11.Rh4 Qxh4 12.Nxh4 Kxf7 13.Bg5 Ke8 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Nc3 d6 16.Kg2 Bxd4 17.Rf1+ Bf6 18.Nd5 Nc6 19.Ng6+ hxg6 20.Qxh8 Bf5 21.exf5 Ne7 22.Nxe7 Kxe7 23.Qxg7+ Kd8 24.Qxg8+ Kd7 25.Qxa8 Kc6 26.Be3 Kd7 27.fxg6 Bd4 28.Bxd4 a6 29.Qxb7 d5 30.Qxd5+ Ke8 31.Rf8+ Kxf8 32.Qf7#. 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 (Traps - Chess Traps - Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2 - C33 - https://lichess.org/@/gambits2pieces). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as White or sidestep it as Black.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Kings Gambit - Queen Trap 2 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.

More King's gambit traps

← Browse all chess traps