Chapter 08 · Early intermediate · 5 min
Classic traps to avoid
Opening traps mostly punish rushing. If a move looks too generous, take one more breath. Poisoned gifts exist in chess too.
Explanation
Opening traps mainly punish haste.
A trap lures the opponent into a natural but bad move. Very well-known example: the shepherd's mast. If Black ignores the attack on f7 after Qh5 and Bc4, the queen can capture on f7 and give mate. Another simple example: a knight can sometimes jump to c7 or f7 to fork the king and the rook.
The best defense against traps is to slow down for a second. Look at possible checks, undefended pieces and direct threats. Most traps lose their magic as soon as you look at them calmly.
To remember
An opening trap especially punishes an automatic response.
Classic error
Taking a free pawn without checking what the opponent is threatening.
Player Tip
When a gift seems too good, take five seconds. In chess too, some gifts sting.