5 Deadly Chess Traps That Every Beginner Should Know!

Introduction

Want to win games quickly? Want to feel like a GM after crushing your opponent in style?😎 Many beginners—and even intermediates—fall for some classic traps that can lead to quick checkmates and huge material loss. Similarly, In today's blog we'll be exploring some must-know chess traps that can give you the upper hand! 

Now, before you start setting traps in every game, let me clarify—not every trap works all the time. Chess is a two-player game, and your opponent has a say in what happens or in other words, your opponent can spot the trick and avoid it. Sometimes they fall for it and you get a beautiful win. Other times they spot the trick and leave you with a bad position. So, there is a 50-50 chance that your opponent might take the bait or play safely. But that's the fun part of the traps, they add excitement to the game and when they work-out they are incredibly satisfying! So, are we good to go now?

1) LEGAL'S MATE (for white)

This trap can help you win in just 8 moves! So, it starts off with e4 and your opponent responds with e5, then simply play Nf3, attacking the pawn, your opponent defends it with Nc6. Then go for Bishop c4, and if your opponent plays d6, this actually isn't a good move because it blocks the dark-squared bishop. Now the common move, Nc3 and then your opponent plays Bishop g4, pinning your Knight. You simply attack the bishop by h3, and if your opponent takes the knight you take it back with your queen and you might be threatening a checkmate, but if your opponent moves the bishop back to h4, then here comes the brilliant sacrifice! Ne5!! If black takes your Knight then you simply take the bishop, but if black takes the queen ( beginners will most probably become greedy and take the queen🫡) , then it is all overrrr! Bishop takes f7, check, king moves to e7 and then boom! Knight d5, and checkmate# 

2) LASKER TRAP (for black) 

I will  actually give you two positions here, because this trap can help you in two ways: 1) Causing your opponent a huge material loss.   2) Checkmate#   But you know well, you are going to rock in both the positions! 😎

1st Position: 

 Here, as you can see you are up a Rook then.

2nd Position: The actual gambit

This will help you win in just 11 moves! This also begins as the e4 opening where your opponent replies with e5, then kf3, attacking the pawn, and...here if black defends with f6, then believe me, your opponent is gone🫡! A brilliant Knight sacrifice! After black takes the knight, give a check by Qh5. Black's only move is Ke7, then take the pawn on e5 with a check. Black's only move is kf7, then give a check by your bishop on c4, black's only move is kg6, again give a check by Qf5. Only move left for black is kh6, then give a discovered check by pawn to d3 or d4, only way to block this is with pawn to g5. Now, play pawn to h4, attacking his defender on g5. Now, black let's say plays bishop to e7, adding one more defender to the pawn. But you simply take it and with a discovered check by the rook. Black's only move is Kg7, then Qf7, mate#

4) GROB ATTACK (for white) 

This will help you in wining a queen and the overall game! This begins with the pawn to g4, if your opponent responds with d5, then you have to make an unusual move—move the g4 pawn one more step forward again. You opponent will try to gain control over the center, by making a move like pawn to e5 and also attacking your pawn on g5. You will counter attack your opponents pawn on d5 by bishop to g2. After black takes your pawn on g5 with the Queen, you will take the pawn on d5 with the Bishop. Now black might play Kf6, attacking your Bishop on d5. But at the same time you will attack his Queen by Nf3, Black will surely play Qg2, threatening the rook. You will play Rg1, counter attacking his Queen. The only safe square for the queen to go is Qh3. Then comes the Brilliant Bishop Sacrifice! Bf7!! If black took on h7, then...guess what! Knight to g5, forking the Queen! And once again, you are winning the game, haha! 

5) ELEPHANT TRAP (for black) 

This trap won't work like the other traps, but this trap will help you being up a piece.  This trap begins as the Queen's Gambit Declined variation. Where you play e3 to decline the Queen's Gambit.  Then the most common move in this opening for white is Nc3, and then you play Knight f3. Then again the most common move for white, Bg4, pinning the knight to the queen. Now, here you have to set the trap with Nd2. White might think that he is going to win a pawn by c5xd4 then black takes on d4 again and then the white's knight takes on d4. here, you play a stunning move, Knight on f3 takes the white's knight on d4!! After black takes the Queen, you play Bb5, giving a check, Black can only block it with Qd7. You take the Queen with the bishop, after black takes your bishop back, you then take the black's bishop on d1. Therefore, you are a knight up! 

So, this was all about today's blog, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this! And let me know what you think about this in the comments. See you in the next one! Till then Goodbye! Keep playing and improving!