Scholar's mate and similar.
In the previous post I started this series with the Fool's mate, the shortest way to reach a checkmate, but somewhat improbable.
With Scholar's mate and similar, we reach a much more realistic scenario and you might well get a win here and there with one of the variants shown below. Just like the Fool's mate for White, it is based on the "Wayward Queen attack" 2. Qh5, but usually opponent didn't go 1... f5 (Dutch defense: see below!) so that's not a check. However, after bringing 3. Bc4, this may allow to checkmate on f3:
Black's error in the main line is to try to attack White's Q with 3... Nf6 ??. But even if they don't and try to block with 3...g6, White got a second chance after retreating the queen to f3.
Also, if they try to block or "kick away" the queen too early with 2... g6, White's 3. Qxe5+ will win the rook on h8 for free. But back to the mainline with correct defense 3... g6, some moves after 4. Qf3, Black may have forgotten about the danger of Qxf7#. Also, even if the light-squared bishop is blocked, the knight that can come to g5 in just two hops.
Once they fell for it, the early queen's attack will probably make your opponent suspicious, so it may be a good idea to try a trap where the idea is somewhat "disguised" and not obvious from the very beginning. One way to do so is to go 2. Bc4 (this is the very good Bishop's opening) and only then 3. Qh5 -- if appropriate! or else try other continuations we'll discuss below.
Bishop's opening
The opening move 2. Bc4 is very good on its own, in any case better than 2. Qh5 which is considered as a slight inaccuracy. It allows various interesting continuations and traps, so you may want to make this move first. (...)
Dutch defense
If you like to play 1. d4, maybe to go for the London system, there is a quite subtile related trap in case your opponent tries the Dutch defense with 1... f5. Then you can try to make a pseudo-attack with 2. Bg5, to bait them into kicking your bishop with 2... h5, and after you retreat 3. B f4 to lure them pushing the g-pawn 3... g5, there are good chances that they become greedy when you "protect" with 4. e3 (another bait!) and take 4... gxf4?? so you can mate with 5. Qh5#:
(to be continued)...
