Typical Traps in the Opening

In the opening, there are some principles that help us to find the good moves. However,
beside principles, in the opening there are also some typical schemes that bring advantage as
early as the game begins.
In this game, White played without paying attention and he was checkmated in 16 moves! All
began with a typical scheme in the opening phase. From my own experience, I can tell you
that once you have learned this scheme, you will be able to win many games from now on.
1.e4 Nc6
Developing the knight on the queenside, Black wants to play a system that is seldom played,
but very interesting. The ideal development for Black is obtained after 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5
3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 0-0-0, followed by e7-e5, with strong attack on "d"-pawn and
on "d"-file in general. Though, I do not recommend this move (1.Nc6) unless you don't know
well the variations of this system. For example, after 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5, White can play 3.Nc3!
with a good position, and if 3.dxe4 4.d5!.
2.c4?
White knew that Black was planning to play d7-d5, so he interdicts it. This is a great moment
to explain how you should think in the opening.
1. In the opening phase you have to develop your pieces as early as possible. It is our
first opening principle. It is just natural: the earlier you get your pieces into the game,
the earlier you can get to operations. With his last move (2.c4), White hasn't
developed any piece.
2. In the opening phase, you have to get as much space as possible and, at the same time,
to control as many central squares (e4,d4,e5,d5) or semi-central squares (next to the
central squares) as possible. Why? Possessing more space and more support-squares in
the center, your pieces will have a superior mobility. That means a bigger force. It is
just normal, isn't it? With his move (2.c4), White neither improves his position in the
center, nor gets space advantage.
We all know that in general, due to his first move, White has a small advantage. But what
exactly does the first move offer him? In almost all the cases, the first move gets only space
advantage. With his last move (2.c4), White split the control of the center in two equal parts:
the squares e5 and d4 are controlled by Black, while e4 and d5 by White.
Logical moves, following the opening principles, would have been: 2.Nf3, 2.d4, 2.Nc3
2.e5
Just natural! Black acquires the central square d4 and facilitates the development of the black
bishop Bf8-c5, where it has a good play on the g1-a7 diagonal.

Black can control 3 central squares out of 4!

Another very important thing is to be noticed here. White cannot control the square d4 with
any pawn, while Black still can play c7-c6. In fact, the square d4 is lost forever for White, but
Black is able to control the square d5. So, when speaking about the control of the center, the
rapport is 3:1 for Black. Furthermore, if Black advances the pawn d7-d5, (supported by c7c6), opening of the d-file will be another advantage for Black, because the square d4 is in his
hands.

3.Nc3 Nf6?!
It is very important for you to pay attention to the order of the moves. It is clear that, to
develop the Bishop from c8, we have to play d7-d6. But this move obstructs the Bishop from
f8, so we have to play firstly Bf8-c5, and only after that d7-d6. It's clear and logical, isn't it?
Less evident is that, after the move 3.Nf6, White could have recovered after his mistake 2.c4.
We will see soon. So, the right order was 3.Bc5, 4.d6, and 5.Nf6, which prevents the next
White's possibility.
4.Nf3 Bc5

QUIZ

Thinking time: 5-10 minutes

Find White's move.
Here occurs one of the typical traps in the opening: 5.Nxe5!.
If 5.Nxe5, then 6.d4 which takes back the sacrificed piece and
leads to a better position for White! (see the diagram)
With this move, White could solve the main problem that
appeared after 2.c4: the weakness of the square d4. He
eliminates the strong, black central pawn "e5" and regains the
important central square "d4". Retain this scheme: Sacrifice on
"e5", after which comes the fork between bishop and knight.
This trap is very often met!
5.d3??
White, instead of applying the trap mentioned above, he becomes himself the victim of
another typical opening trap. Everything seems normal, but it is not...

QUIZ

Thinking time: 5 minutes

Find Black's move.
5...Ng4!

Another typical trap in the opening! And, believe me, this may be very often played, even against
experimented players.
Now the square f2 cannot be defended. This happens only when White (in our case) is not able to
castle. If the white bishop from f1 would have been developed on e2, then White could have castled
and the square f2 is twice defended: by the king and by the rook. It is not worth for Black to
exchange two minor pieces for a rook and a pawn.
6.Be3 Nxe3
I could have taken that bishop, and, of course the pawn, with both the bishop and the knight. Why
did I choose to exchange the knight and remain with the bishop? Eliminating the pawn f2 and the
white dark-squares bishop, White got a big weakness: the complex of dark squares. The best way I

could benefit of this weakness is to keep my bishop on the board. Moreover, because of the weak
diagonal g1-a7, castling kingside became almost impossible.
TIP: Try to obstruct the opponent's castle as much as possible.
7.fxe3 Bxe3 8.Qe2 Nd4 9.Qd1

Look at how the e3-bishop masters all the board.

9.d6
Finally, the last minor black piece is free: the bishop from c8.
10.Be2 c6
Black also controls the square d5 and the knight from c3 has no proper square to enter the battle. At
the same time, please notice that Black has the square d4 clearly under his control, square that was
weakened at the second move. How important is a "simple" pawn move...

11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Nb1

After just 12 moves, White is in a desperate situation. Beside he is in disadvantage with a pawn, his
king is very poorly defended. Once again: White's dark squares are weak by two causes: the pawn f2
and the bishop of dark squares don't exist anymore. Corroborating this with the fact that his king is
still in the center, we can begin a mate attack.
When you are attacking, you have to think like this: The last defender of the King is...(think...,
think...): the pawn g2. Without this pawn, Black could checkmate in just 2 moves: Qd8-h4+ and Qh4f2#. Then how can we eliminate this pawn? Even with a sacrifice! Who can attack this g2-pawn? The
light-squares bishop:
12.Bh3!
White cannot take this bishop because of the mate. If he advances 13.g3, Black captures the rook
with Bg2. If White protects this pawn, for example with 13.Bf3, then 13.Bxg2, eliminating the
defender, 14.Bxg2 Qh4 15.Ke2 Qf2#.
White chose to defend the g2-pawn and, at the same time, to prevent the check Qh4+:
13.Kf1

And now another Quiz, but let me give you a hint. Black can force the mate in 4 moves. How
should you look for the mate? If Black moves directly 13.Qf6+, White plays 14.Bf3. Here, if
the queen weren't on d1, Black could move Qf6xf3 (the pawn g2 cannot move because of the
pin). You have to think how you could deviate the white queen from d1, making possible
Qf6+, followed by Qxf3+.

QUIZ

Thinking time: 5 minutes

Find the Black's move to mate in 4.
13.Qh4!
Draws the queen on the e1-square, to defend
the mate on the f2-square!
14.Qe1 Qf6+
15.Bf3 (diagram) Qxf3+
16.Qf2 Qxf2#

Please notice that, in the final position, ALL the minor black pieces are developed (the
knights were even exchanged). Why do I say that? Because some beginners tempted to win as
quickly as possible, use to attack the opponent with the queen and with another piece, in order
not to waste the time with the others. Well, this is the biggest mistake the beginners do. If you
want to win quickly, develop ALL of your pieces. Of course, it is very important where you
move those pieces and the order of the moves. To facilitate your work, in our course, we will
also explain the principles of the opening phase.
FINAL THOUGHTS
At the end, let's revise the schemes we learned in this game. The following diagrams are taken
from different games, to have more examples:
1. The capture of the central pawn that is defended by a minor piece. Next, the sacrificed
piece is regained, using the double attack of the pawn. (the tactical element called "the

fork")

2. The pawn f7 is the weakest pawn in the opening because it is defended only by the
black king (as the pawn f2 is for the white king). Before the bishop from f8 is
developed, in order to obstruct the castle, this scheme can be applied. The pawn f7
cannot be defended by the attack of both the bishop and the knight.

In our game, we met these two schemes, very often met in the opening stage. We strongly
believe that you will have the chance to apply them, and of course, to stay away from them.