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Chess opening traps
24 classic opening traps, from Scholar's Mate to the Elephant Trap. Learn how to spring them and, just as important, how to spot them before they catch you.
For White
Scholar's MateWhite brings the queen and bishop to aim at f7. If Black doesn't defend, Qxf7 is checkmate on move four.Légal TrapWhite seems to lose the queen with Nxe5, allowing Black's bishop to take it. If Black takes, Bxf7+ and Nd5…Rubinstein TrapIn the Queen's Gambit Declined, White plays Nxd5! when Black's pieces are badly placed. If Black takes back…McDonnell TrapsTwo old gambit lines where White gives material for an attack on f7. In the King's Gambit version, White…Tennison Gambit TrapWhite gives the e-pawn and places a knight on g5. If Black plays ...h6 carelessly, Nxf7 and Bg6+ win Black's…Fried Liver & LolliWhite sacrifices the knight on f7 to drag Black's king into the open, then attacks it with Qf3+ and Nc3. The…Queen's Gambit TrapWhite punishes Black for trying to hold on to an extra pawn or recapturing the wrong way. The traps win a…Halosar TrapA trap in the Blackmar-Diemer's Ryder Gambit. White castles long and plays Nb5; if Black greedily takes the…Quick CheckmatesShort games where a player ignores the dangers around their king and is mated early. Learn the patterns - the…Scandinavian Queen TrapsWhite's traps when Black's queen grabs the d4 pawn in the Scandinavian (or after 1...Nc6 and ...d5). With…
For Black
Blackburne–Shilling TrapBlack leaves e5 unguarded with 3...Nd4. If White greedily takes with Nxe5, ...Qg5 attacks the knight and g2…Elephant TrapIn the Queen's Gambit Declined, White seems to win a pawn on d5 because Black's knight is pinned. If White…Lasker TrapIn the Albin Countergambit, if White plays the natural 4.e3, Black's pawn keeps advancing with ...Bb4+ and…Noah's Ark TrapIn the Ruy Lopez, if White's queen takes a pawn on d4, Black chases it and traps White's bishop on b3 with…Fishing Pole TrapBlack puts a knight on g4 as bait. When White plays h3 to kick it, Black ignores the threat with ...h5; if…Budapest TrapsIn the Budapest Gambit, natural developing moves by White can walk into quick tactics. The Kieninger line…Englund Gambit TrapBlack's queen checks on b4 and grabs the b2 pawn. If White defends the rook clumsily with Bc3, ...Bb4 wins…Stafford Gambit TrapWhite's natural moves in the Stafford can allow sudden tactics on f2 and the king. A common trap ends with…Mortimer TrapBlack seems to leave the e5 pawn en prise. If White takes it, ...c6 and ...Qa5+ win the stray knight.Cambridge Springs TrapBlack's queen on a5 pins White's knight on c3 and eyes the bishop on g5. Careless development by White lets…Siberian TrapIn the Smith-Morra Gambit, Black's knights and queen set up ...Nd4, hitting White's queen. If White's queen…Marshall TrapsFrank Marshall's attacking lines for Black, in the Petrov and the Ruy Lopez. In the Petrov line, ...Bxh2+…O'Sullivan Gambit Traps1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 b5. If White grabs the pawn with Bxb5, Black plays ...c5 and ...Qa5+ and wins the…
For either side
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