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It's reasonably common for my opponents in blitz to fall into the following trap in the opening.

[FEN ""] 
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Nce7 4. f4 Ng6 5.f5 Qh4+ 6. g3 Qxe4+ 7. Qe2 Qxh1 8. Nf3

This position should be an easy win, but I find myself often getting in trouble with my queen getting trapped after white develops and castles queenside. Is there a simple plan to safely extract the queen? I don't mind giving back a minor piece to simplify the position.

Noah Snyder
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2 Answers2

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I don't think that this is an easy win at all. In fact it is not clear who is the trapper and who is the "trappee". To close the trap, White has no need even to develop. He can simply play Kd2!! followed by Bg2. This refutes, for example, N6e7.

The only defence that I can see starts with 8..e4! 9.Qxe4+ Kd8! 10.fxg6 hxg6. Without analysing further White has a lot of compensation. However, this is all moot. Instead of the adventurous 7..Qxh1, Black has simply 7..Qxf5 with two extra Pawns and no real problems.

Philip Roe
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    I don’t see how Kd2 and Bg2 refute 8...N6e7. After 9.Kd2 Black can play 9...e4 (as White’s queen is now tied to the defence of the f1 bishop, and 10.Bg2 e3+ is no help either), then, for example, 10.Ng5 Qg1, and the queen escapes. – Stephen Jul 11 '20 at 21:09
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    Despite the upvotes on the answer, Stephen is right that Kd2 is completely losing. – Noah Snyder Jul 12 '20 at 13:30
  • Evaluation of `9.Kd2` is not inaccurate, but this answer still makes a valid point. According to stockfish: `7...Qxh1` is -4.5 and `7...Qxf5` is -2.4. However, `7...Qxh1` leads to very complicated position, for most players it is probably a toss up; there is no easy winning plan that I can see, just precise calculation. Another option for black is `7...Qxe2` followed by `...Nge7` heading to queenless game with up two pawns should be winning for black. I wonder what Carlsen would play here... – Akavall Jul 12 '20 at 18:52
  • OOps, sorry about 9.Kd2. I should have spent a bit longer, but it is indeed White who has been trapped. – Philip Roe Jul 12 '20 at 20:57
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cant make comments yet: Do you want to keep the Queen or do you want to have a winning position?

 [fen ""]

 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Nce7 4. f4 Ng6 5. f5 Qh4+ 6. g3 Qxe4+ 7. Qe2 Qxh1 8. Nf3 *

Leaves you with Rook, Knight and a Rook for the Queen.

Brian Towers
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Schmerbertus
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  • You mean after they castle and attack your queen with their rook, you just take the rook, and then you'll have rook knight and rook? – D M Jul 11 '20 at 21:20
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    Was this supposed to include additional moves? How do you assure yourself a knight and not just two rooks? – Noah Snyder Jul 11 '20 at 23:02