Exercise 9.1Find the move
White to move
White to move. Save the rook on a1 without falling into the trap.
9
Your First Openings · Kapilash Chess Academy
Famous Opening Traps
Learn them so they never catch you
In this lesson you will learn
- The Blackburne Shilling trap
- The Englund Gambit trap
- The Lasker Trap and an underpromotion
- How to avoid traps: the blunder check
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
9.1 Why Learn Traps?
Traps catch players who move without checking. You should know them so that you never fall into them — and so that you recognise when your opponent sets one. But do not build your openings on traps: against a careful opponent a trap move is usually just a bad move.
Diagram 9.1White to move
The Blackburne Shilling
Black leaves e5 hanging. Greedy White takes it.
After 4.♘xe5?? ♕g5 Black attacks g2 and the knight; White takes on f7 and is mated. The correct reply to 3...♘d4 is calm development, for example 4.♘xd4 or 4.O-O.
Diagram 9.2Black to move
The Englund Gambit trap
Black attacks b2 with the queen check.
White defends the rook the wrong way and is mated on c1. The right move after 5...♕xb2 is 6.♘c3.
Diagram 9.3White to move
The Lasker Trap
In the Albin Counter-Gambit the pawn on d4 cramps White.
Black promotes to a knight with check — a queen would be captured. White loses a lot of material. The calm 4.♘f3 avoids all this.
Remember
- Learn traps so that you never fall into them.
- Do not base your openings on traps.
- Before taking a “free” pawn, check every check and capture for your opponent.
- Sometimes a knight promotion is the best promotion.
Exercises · Lesson 9
Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine. Find the best move or choose the right answer.
Exercise 9.2Find the move
White to move
White to move. Avoid the Lasker Trap.
Exercise 9.3Question
White to move
White to move. How should White answer 3...♘d4?
Exercise 9.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.5Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.6Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.7Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.8Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.9Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 9.10Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.