Sidestepping traps means checking each of the opponent's moves for threats before replying, so you do not walk into a known opening trick.
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Most opening traps offer something that looks free, a pawn or even a queen, and then punish the capture. Asking what the opponent's move threatens, and what yours allows, catches most of them.
How to do it
- 1Before each move, ask what the opponent's last move attacks.
- 2Before taking anything, look for the checks and captures that follow.
- 3Learn the traps in the openings you play, from both sides.
For your level
Look at your opponent's move first. Ask what it attacks. Then play your move.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 2
Play the moves through. What has happened to the king?
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Question 2 of 2
After the last move, how many legal moves does the mated side have?
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Common mistakes
- Taking the queen without first looking for checks, as Black does in Légal's mate.
- Taking a pawn in the opening without counting the moves that follow.
Questions
- What is Légal's mate?
- A trap in which White plays Nxe5 and leaves the queen to be taken. If Black takes it, Bxf7+ Ke7 and Nd5 is mate. Black should take the knight on e5 instead and stay a piece up.
- Should I set traps myself?
- Play good moves that happen to set traps. A move whose only merit is that the opponent might blunder usually makes your position worse against anybody who does not.