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Final position — White is winning

Old Benoni Defence

Old Benoni Defence: Bxh7 Sacrifice

White wins in 11 moves with a decisive material gain. (Wall - Greg, Internet 1996)

The moves

1.d4 c5 2.d5 e6 3.e4 exd5 4.exd5 Bd6 5.Nf3 b6 6.Bd3 Qe7+ 7.Be3 Nf6 8.O-O Nxd5 9.Re1 O-O 10.Bxh7+ Kxh7 11.Qxd5
1.d4c5
2.d5e6
3.e4exd5
4.exd5Bd6
5.Nf3b6
6.Bd3Qe7+
7.Be3Nf6
8.O-ONxd5
9.Re1O-O
10.Bxh7+Kxh7
11.Qxd5

How the Old Benoni Defence: Bxh7 Sacrifice works

The Old Benoni Defence: Bxh7 Sacrifice is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Old Benoni Defence. In this line White wins decisive material by move 11, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from Black.

The full sequence runs 1.d4 c5 2.d5 e6 3.e4 exd5 4.exd5 Bd6 5.Nf3 b6 6.Bd3 Qe7+ 7.Be3 Nf6 8.O-O Nxd5 9.Re1 O-O 10.Bxh7+ Kxh7 11.Qxd5. 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 (Wall - Greg, Internet 1996). 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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