Traps are gorgeous, satisfying, and mesmerizing... When they work.
But for nearly every trap to work, you must rely on your opponent to make specific mistakes.
For example, in the Scandanavian defense, you can try to play this trap as white.
But if they make this simple move
Or play this variation
Or this one
Or one of a million other variations, you'll never get that trap in so you need to study many variations for this single opening or more deeply understand the position and the key ingredients that make a successful opening, middle game, and endgame in most Scandanavian games.
I've discussed opening principles and when you should ignore them before so we'll assume you're already caught up there.
A classic example of a not so solid opening trap is the fishing pole trap.
If they decide not to take the Knight, 9 times of 10, you wasted a tempo and are in a dreadful position.
We could go on and on about all sorts of traps like the Lasker Gambit, the Halloween Gambit, the Evan's Gambit, etc.
There are plenty of resources that go over traps. But what I will say is that you shouldn't play openings solely to spring these traps.
You should attempt these openings to understand these traps so you know when they work and when they don't. That way if you play someone who tries to trap you, you know how to avoid it and flip it around on them.
That said, if you're determined to play traps, you need to play traps that leave you in a winning position when they don't work like the Legal's Mate for instance.
When it does work, it goes like this.
But when it doesn't you still end up a pawn up in the opening.
Or they lose the bishop pair
How do you feel about traps? How has your opinion of them changed over the years?
Share your opinion in the comments below!
