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Final position — Black is winning

Pirc Defence

Pirc Defence: Bxf7 Sacrifice

Black wins in 6 moves with a decisive material gain. (Hamlisch - Unknown, Vienna 1992)

The moves

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nd7 3.Bc4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kf6
1.e4d6
2.d4Nd7
3.Bc4g6
4.Nf3Bg7
5.Bxf7+Kxf7
6.Ng5+Kf6

How the Pirc Defence: Bxf7 Sacrifice works

The Pirc Defence: Bxf7 Sacrifice is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Pirc Defence. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 6, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nd7 3.Bc4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Kf6. 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 (Hamlisch - Unknown, Vienna 1992). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Pirc Defence: Bxf7 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.

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