Kieninger Trap

Chess diagram|=
tright|
=
rd| |bd| |kd| | |rd|=
pd|pd|pd|pd|qd|pd|pd|pd|=
| |nd| | | | | |=
| | | |nd| | | |=
|bd|pl| | |bl| | |=
pl| | | | |nl| | |=
|pl| |nl|pl|pl|pl|pl|=
rl| | |ql|kl|bl| |rl|=
Position after 7...Ngxe5!

The Kieninger Trap is a chess opening trap in the Budapest Gambit named after the German International Master Georg Kieninger, who used it in an offhand game against Godai at Vienna in 1925. [Otto Borik, "Budapest Gambit", Macmillan Chess Library, 1986, p. 24. ISBN 978-0020175001.] It is one of the most frequently seen opening traps.

The main line of the Budapest Gambit begins with the moves

:1.d4 Nf6:2.c4 e5:3.dxe5 Ng4

Black has sacrificed a pawn to disorganize White's position. In the next few moves, Black tries to regain the gambit pawn, while White tries to hold onto it, at least for the time being:

:4.Bf4 Nc6 :5.Nf3 Bb4+

Black wants to continue the attack on e5 with ...Qe7, but first develops the bishop rather than blocking it in. Now 6.Nc3 Qe7 7.Qd5!?, holding onto the pawn, is playable, but White prefers to avoid doubled pawns.

:6.Nbd2 Qe7

Now Black regains the pawn by force, so White tries to obtain the advantage of the bishop pair:

:7.a3 Ngxe5

(See diagram.) Simply 7...Bxd2+ was possible, but this move sets the trap. Now White should play 8.Nxe5 Nxe5! 9.e3! Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 with a small advantage.

:8.axb4

White, like thousands of previous players, falls into the Kieninger Trap. [Viktor Moskalenko, "The Fabulous Budapest Gambit", New in Chess, 2007, p. 58. ISBN 978-90-5691-224-6.] [Otto Borik, "Budapest Gambit", MacMillan Chess Library, 1986, pp. 24-25. ISBN 978-0020175001.] Chess diagram|=
tleft|
=
rd| |bd| |kd| | |rd|=
pd|pd|pd|pd|qd|pd|pd|pd|=
| |nd| | | | | |=
| | | | | | | |=
|pl|pl| | |bl| | |=
| | |nd| |nl| | |=
|pl| |nl|pl|pl|pl|pl|=
rl| | |ql|kl|bl| |rl|=
Position after 8...Nd3#

:8...Nd3#!

White has been checkmated. Note that Black's queen pins White's e-pawn against its king, so 9.exd3 is illegal, since it would allow Black to capture White's king (9...Qxe1). Also notice that if 9.Bxe5 Nxe5 White still cannot play axb4 because of Nd3#.clear

Notes

ee also

* Budapest Gambit