French Defense Trap - Advance Variation

Intro - The French Defense

The French Defense is a popular defense system by black, and though there are many possible variations of this, we will consider the main position after two moves:
Here, white has four options: e5 (advance), exd5 (exchange), Nc3 (classical), and Nd2 (Tarrasch). I have covered these lines briefly in my Intro to French Defense post already. For this trap you will play e5, entering the advanced variation.

Getting to the Position

Here, black strikes immediately in the center with 3...c5. White responds with 4. c3, building the chain. After 4...Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 we reach the familiar Paulsen attack.
White's most popular moves are drawn in green arrows. This trap requires the move 6. Be2. Now, the most common move for black is to play cxd4 followed by Nge7, routing the knight to f5 to put pressure on d4. However, an alternative is 6...Nh6. After you take the knight with 7. Bxh6 (see diagram below) it seems like Black has two choices: gxh6 and Qxb2.

Do you know which move is correct for Black? Are both moves fine? Take a pause here and think before scrolling on.

The Trap

Spoilers: you will see the answer if you look further:

Black's only move is gxh6. The alternative, Qxb2? is a mistake and is a very common move at first, yet it leads to a bad position. What's more impressive is white's reply. Can you find it?

The Answer

Yes, white, does not play Nbd2, saving the rook, but instead plays Be3! White is giving up the rook in the corner in hopes of trapping the black queen, or even better, try to go for a mating attack. The worst thing for black is the rook has to be captured, as Black did sac the knight on h6 for this.

After Qxa1, you must play Qc2, trapping the queen. Black will try to open the position with cxd4, but you respond with Nxd4, threatening ideas like Nb5 and more importantly Nb3, trapping the queen. Hence Black may capture the knight Nxd4, and you will play Bxd4. Now Black will play Ba3, utilizing the pin along the first rank and allowing b2 to be the escape square for the queen.
Can you find the only winning move for white here?

Final Moments of the Puzzle

Yes, the correct move is Bb5+! In the best line, Black will play Bd7, and after Bxd7+ Kxd7 0-0 Qb2 Qa4+ white is getting two pieces for the rook with Black having an exposed king, hence white is clearly winning here.
After Bb5+ black can also go Kd8, after which you will castle 0-0, and after Qb2 Qa4 black has to give up the bishop. If Be7 is played, Qa5+ b6 Qxb6+! axb6 Bxb6# is a very nice mate.

Conclusion

This concludes the end of another blog on this relatively unknown yet also cool trap to know, especially against French players.