Mind Blowing Tactics/Traps!

We all love winning! That isn't a question! The way we win is a problem. Even top computer-engines often lose! Winning doesn't happen all the time, that's a fact. But you can help yourself by winning more often! Often by finding tactics, traps, or sacrifices in a game of chess. You can do this more often by solving different positions! And that is why I made today's blog! Lets take a look at some of the most interesting/mind blowing puzzles and sacrifices in chess history! So what are we all waiting for? Lets dive in!

Stepan Levitsky vs. Frank Marshall - 1912 | The Gold Coin Game

Believe it or not, this may have been the most famous game in chess history! The fight between Stepan Levitsky, and the legendary Frank Marshall. If you are an experienced chess player, you probably already heard of this incredible game, where Frank makes an immortal queen sacrifice. The reason it's called the "gold coin" game, was because after the match, the fans admiringly threw gold coins in the air! That is just how much they loved the game! So you know it's going to be interesting. 

So I saw this pretty neat explanation of the game on YouTube... so enjoy! 

Credit to the YouTube creator who gave a full analyzation of the game! For now, lets move on!

The Legendary Stalemate Tactic!

Before we start, credit to both @Sep-Gol and @Roger436 for this puzzle! @Sep-Gol showed this puzzle to @Roger436, Roger then showcased it on his blog, which I saw, and enjoyed, and so I decided to post this incredible puzzle here:

*credit to @Roger436 for the puzzle-annotations

What a brilliant trick! White was totally losing right? No sir! What a stalemate! I really liked this puzzle because it shows that even in such positions, maybe there really is some hope of not losing, am I right? 

Opening Traps! Fool your opponent!

So I recently came across this opening trap, in the Sicilian Alapin variation. Although it is quite easy to play with, many people end up falling for it. Black's knight is taken at the end of the line! So lets take a look at it, shall we?

As you saw, obviously black's knight was lost! This is a very common trap, that unprepared opponents could fall into! I fooled many of my opponents with it, and I think YOU can to!

Fool your opponent with a queen sacrifice in the Birds Opening! 

Okay, so at my level I doubt that anyone will fall into this trap, but it might work once or twice in a bullet game! Not to mention lower levels! So in this trap, black "gives away their queen for absolutely no reason", and ends up winning the game! Here is the trap:

Lastly... the Englund Gambit Trap:

At first glance, you might think that this thing isn't a trap, and it's just a random opening, and that no one falls for it. Well... you're right, but sometimes unprepared peeps that play against it do lose easily! (I admit, maybe once or twice I fell into it... but we don't talk about that!)

Lets see the trap now!

It seemed like black was losing... until BOOM! The checkmate arose! You might be able to fool some with this trap! WOW!

Thanks a lot for reading! I hope that sometime maybe YOU will be able to use one or two of these traps in your games! Before we go, make sure to check out more of my blogs here! 

Until next time, Nikolay.