Tricks and Traps

Trick moves and traps abound in chess.  Some work splendidly if the opponent succumbs.  Others recoil badly if they are avoided.  Black's trap in the following game is a good one, as it promises optimum results with minimum risk.

For opening tricks and traps, you may visit Chess Opening Tricks.

CRADDOCK vs. MIESES
London, 1939
ENGLISH OPENING

1. c4, e5
2. Nc3, Nc6
3. g3, Nf6
4. Bg2, Bb4
5. e3 .....

White makes room for his King Knight at e2 as he does not want to block his King Bishop's diagonal.

5. ..... d6
6. N1e2, Bg4
7. Qb3 .....

White threatens to win a piece with Bxc6.

7. ..... Rb8 !

Black parries the threat, for after 8. Bxc6 bxc6, his King Bishop will be protected.

8. Nd5, Bc5
9. Nxf6+, Qxf6!

10. Bxc6+?, bxc6!
11. Qxb8+ .....

White succumbed to temptation.  He is unaware of the succeeding Two-Rook Sacrifice.

11. ..... Kd7
12. Qxh8, Qf3!

Threatening 13. .....Qxe2 mate as well as 13......Qxh1+ and mate the following move.

13. Kd1 .....

If White castles, the reply 13......Bh3 forces mate.  Similarly, on 13. Kf1 there follows 13.....Qxe2, 14. Kg1 Bh3.

13. ..... Qxe2+
14. Kc2, Qxc4+
15. Kb1, Qd3 mate.

Very neat finish.  Black must have all these in mind when he played move 7.

Center Counter Defense

Classified as an irregular defense, this opening is also known as Center Counter Game or Scandinavian Defense, having been analyzed by Scandinavian players in the 19th century. Black's challenging 1..P-Q4 reply to White's 1. e4 aims to open up the center (usually with the combined early development of Black's queen) preventing positional play, but should present no severe opening problems for the competent White player.

The following game is also known as the Peruvian Immortal Game.

CANAL vs. DUBYNA
Budapest, 1934

1. e4, d5
2. exd5, Qxd5
3. Nc3, Qa5
4. d4, c6

Excessive caution. It is a good idea to develop a piece, say 4. ... Nf6.

5. Nf3, Bg4
6. Bf4, e6
7. h3, Bxf3

One should not exchange a Bishop for a Knight so readily. Aside from that, Black brings the White Queen into active play.

8. Qxf3, Bb4
9. Be2, Nd7
10. a3!, 0-0-0

Black carelessly relies on what he thinks is a foolproof pin. It seems, superficially, that 11 axb4 would be too costly for White.

11. axb4!!, Qxa1+
12. Kd2, Qxh1
13. Qxc6+!! ....

Exquisite!   Only a chess master sees the beauty of this move in a trice, and evaluated several moves ahead.

13. ..... bxc6
14. Ba6 mate.

Beautiful! It is instructive to go back over the game to see how Black unwittingly forced White to go into this combination.

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Guico Piano

The Guico Piano is characterized by the opening moves 1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bc4 ....

As the name suggests, a quiet opening. Dangerous only in the hands of an expert. Against precise play White cannot really claim any advantage.

A. LASKER vs. E. LASKER
Breslau, 1909

The Two-Rook Sacrifice

This is one of the most spectacular themes in the whole realm of chess. It has inspired some striking brilliant attacks.

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d3, Bc5
5. Bg5, d6
6. h3, Be6
7. Bb5, a6
8. Bxc6, bxc6

So far, its a quiet game.  Now it starts to show life.

9. d4, exd4
10. Nxd4, Bxd4
11. Qxd4, c5
12. Qc3? ......

Inferior to 12. Qe3, which would have avoided the ensuing complications.

12......... Nxe4
13. Qxg7  .......

The spineless alternative 13. Bxd8, Nxc3 leaves White a pawn down.

13. ...... Qxg5 !
14. Qxh8+, Kd7
15. Qxa8, Qc1+

Now we see why Black sacrificed his Rooks.  He has a mating attack.

16. Ke2, Qxc2+
17. Ke3, Qxf2+

Black has his eye on this pretty mate: 18. Kxe4  Bf5+,  19. Kd5 Qd4 mate.

18. Kd3, c4
19 Kxe4, f5 mate

A pretty finish.  The rationale behind the two-Rook sacrifice is clear:  the loser's Queen, in the process of confiscating the Rooks, wanders away from the field of battle to be of any further use.

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