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The Encyclopedia of Opening Traps: How to Win in 10 Moves
Every master was once a beginner who fell for the Scholar's Mate. Opening traps are tactical ambushes hidden inside standard openings. Learning them serves two purposes: winning quick games against careless opponents, and avoiding embarrassing losses yourself.
1. Traps in e4 Games
Légal's Mate Philidor
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4. Nc3 g6? 5. Nxe5!
White sacrifices the Queen! If Black takes the Queen (5...Bxd1), White delivers checkmate with 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Nd5#. The ultimate punishment for pinning the Knight without safety.
The Fishing Pole Ruy Lopez
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ng4 5. h3 h5!
Black ignores the threat to the Knight. If White takes (hxg4), the h-file opens for the Rook, and the White King is quickly mated by the Queen.
Noah's Ark Trap Ruy Lopez
...b5, ...d6, ...c5, ...c4
A positional trap for Black. White's light-squared Bishop gets trapped on b3 by a pawn storm (b5 and c4). The Bishop has "nowhere to sail," hence the name.
Blackburne Shilling Italian
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4?!
Black offers the e5 pawn. If White takes it (Nxe5?), Black plays Qg5! attacking the Knight and g2 pawn. This often leads to a Smothered Mate on the White King.
The Siberian Trap Smith-Morra
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6...
In the Smith-Morra Gambit, Black plays an early ...Nf6, ...e6, and ...Qc7. If White plays h3 to stop a pin, Black can sometimes play ...Nd4! If White takes, it leads to immediate mate on h2.
2. Traps in d4 Games
The Elephant Trap QGD
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7
White thinks the d5 pawn is pinned and "free." If White takes (cxd5... Nxd5! Bxd8), Black plays Bb4+, winning the Queen back and emerging a piece up.
The Lasker Trap Albin Counter
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. e3? Bb4+
A famous under-promotion trap in the Albin Counter-Gambit. Black checks, trades, and eventually promotes a pawn to a Knight (exf1=N+!) to fork the King and Queen.
Cambridge Springs QGD
...Qa5 and ...Bb4
Black pins the White Knight on c3. If White is careless, Black can win a piece or trap the White Queen.
Rubinstein Trap QGD
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7...
A positional trap where Black trades pieces in a way that leaves White's Bishop on g5 trapped behind enemy lines, eventually winning it with ...h6 and ...g5.
3. Wild Gambit Traps
Englund Gambit Trap 1. d4 e5
1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7
Black targets the b2 pawn in the Englund Gambit. If White plays badly, they can get checkmated on move 8 or lose their Queen.
Stafford Gambit Petroff
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6
Black sacrifices a pawn for rapid development. The Stafford Gambit is deadly if White plays routine developing moves (like d3 or Be2), often falling into immediate mate threats.
Tennison Gambit (ICBM) Scandinavian
1. Nf3 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Ng5
Known as the "Intercontinental Ballistic Missile." White sacrifices a pawn to launch a devastating attack on the Black Queen/King. Often leads to the "Tennison Trap" losing the Black Queen.
Warning: Traps are fun, but they are risky. If the opponent knows the refutation, you might end up in a bad position. Study our Openings Glossary to learn solid, principled play.