Chess in 40 SecondsAll traps

Chess traps explained

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Every trap here is a position you can solve: find the move, then learn the idea in one line. Start with the beginner traps — they win games at every level.

Chess traps

• Scholar's MateBeginner
• Légal's MateBeginner
• The Blackburne Shilling GambitBeginner
• The Englund Gambit trapBeginner
• The Stafford GambitIntermediate
• The Kieninger TrapIntermediate
• The Caro-Kann smothered mateBeginner
• From's GambitBeginner
• The Fishing Pole TrapIntermediate
• The Petrov TrapBeginner
• The Fried Liver AttackIntermediate
• The Elephant TrapIntermediate
• The Lasker TrapIntermediate

How to beat the traps

• Stop Scholar's MateBeginner
• Beat the Blackburne ShillingBeginner
• Beat the Englund GambitBeginner
• Stop the Fried LiverIntermediate
• Don't Bite the Fishing PoleIntermediate
• Beat the Stafford GambitIntermediate
• Dodge the Kieninger TrapIntermediate

Legendary games

• The Opera Game · Paris, 1858Intermediate
• The Immortal Game · London, 1851Intermediate
• The Peruvian Immortal · 1934Intermediate
• Lasker vs Thomas · London, 1912Intermediate
• Réti vs Tartakower · Vienna, 1910Intermediate
• The Game of the Century · 1956Intermediate
• The Evergreen Game · Berlin, 1852Intermediate
• The Gold Coins Game · 1912Intermediate
• Fischer vs Benko · 1963Intermediate
• Botvinnik vs Capablanca · 1938Intermediate