Page 3 700 Opening Traps

Nimzovich Defense

 (1.e4 Nc6)

This defense was subjected to deep analysis by Aron Nimzovich who 

proclaimed it was sound.  Most masters believe it is too cramped and there 

are a few traps associated with this defense. 

 

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 b6 3.c3 Bb7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nh5?? [Black should play 5…

Ne4] 6.g4 winning the Knight (Wall - Trogdon, Dayton 1980)

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qxd4 5.Qe2 Bg4 6.f3 Bh5 7.Be3 Qb4 

8.O-O-O a6? [ 8…Nf6] 9.Nd5 Qa5 10.Bb6! wins the Queen since 10…

cxb6 11.Nc7 is checkmate (Clews - Ellison, Postal)

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 Bxf3 6.Bxf3 Qxd4?? [6…

Qd7] 7.Bxc6+, winning the Queen (Belmondo - Gilardi, France 1989)

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.d5 Nce7 [not 3…Nd4? 4.c3 winning the Knight, Wall - 

Lovegren, Dayton 1980] 4.c4 Ng6 5.Nf3 Bc5 6.Nc3 d6 7.Na4 Bb6 8.b4 Nf6 

9.Bg5?? [better is 9.Bd3] 9…Bxf2+! 10.Ke2 [10.Kxf2 Nxe4+ and 11…Nxg5] 

10…Nxe4 threatening 11…Nxg5.  If 11.Bxd8?? Nf4 mate (Siegemund - 

Eger, Germany 1979)

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.dxe5 Nxe5 4.Nf3 Qf6 5.Nxe5 Qxe5 6.Bd3 Bc5 7.O-O 

Nf6 8.Nc3 d6 9.h3? [perhaps 9.Nd5] 9…Bxh3 10.Nd5?! Qg3! 11.Nxf6+ 

gxf6 12.Qf3 Qxf3 13.gxf3 Rg8+ and 14…Bxf1 wins the exchange (Bouillon 

- Schwab, Germany 1991)

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qa5 5.d4 Bf5 6.Bb5 e6 7.Ne5 

Bb4 8.Bd2 Ne7?? [8…Qb6 is best] 9.Nc4 trapping the Queen (Amberger - 

Sprecher, Munich 1924)

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 4.d5 Ne5 5.Nxe5 Bxd1 6.Bb5+ Qd7?? [Black 

should try 6…c6] 7.Bxd7+ Kd8 8.Nxf7+ Kxd7 9.Kxd1 and still winning the 

Rook 

(Donaldson - Unknown, 1988)

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