Chess Tactics Guide
Chess Trap Tactic
[Introduction]

Chess Tactics Teaser - Chess Trap Tactic Animal Lovers: Be good and suspend your morals for a short paragraph, would you? We just need a quick analogy ...

Here goes:

In the jungle, if you were to set a Trap to, I don't know, snag an Elephant ...

You'd set it knowing that it's just possible your victim might NOT fall for it.

However, if your Trap IS successful, you'd have bagged yourself a fairly decent prize, or the makings of a piano ...

In Chess, when setting a Trap, you do so knowing full well that your opponent MIGHT see what you're up to ... In which case, you'll likely lose any prize - or advantage - on offer.

However, it's also possible your opponent is either "naive", "gullible", or simply "not paying attention" to what's going on - and will subsequently fall right into your Trap.

A successful Trap might result in gaining material; gaining a better position on the Board; or, it may lead to an imminent victory!

The following four examples are tasters of what benefits a successful Trap may bring ...

Chess Trap Tactic Index

Four examples of Traps being used ...

Trap, Example 1 (page 2)

The Trap: Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

Trap Set By: Black.

If It Works: Black wins by Checkmate on Move 7.

Result: Gains Victory.

Trap, Example 2 (page 3)

The Trap: Elephant Trap.

Trap Set By: Black.

If It Works: Black gains White's
dark-Bishop - the Elephant in the Trap!

Result: Gains Material.

Trap, Example 3 (page 4)

The Trap: Lasker Trap.

Trap Set By: Black.

If It Works: Black wins by Checkmate after Move 14.

Result: Gains Victory.

Trap, Example 4 (page 5)

The Trap: Magnus Smith Trap.

Trap Set By: White.

If It Works: White gains material (Black's Queen) and gains a better position for his own Queen (Qxd8).

Result: Gains BOTH Material and Position.