Bat Traps

blog reprint

Why study traps?

     There are several good reasons why studying traps might be considered important. First, of course, to avoid becoming a victim of one.  Second is to recognize when the opportunity of gaining a quick victory appears.  But the third reason is the one I feel is the best: since traps by their very nature are not at all obvious and take advantage of poor play (particularly, though not exclusively, in the openings), understanding how traps work reveal to us certain secret tactical truths in positions that we may never have learned on our own.

The last reason is as obvious as the first:  they are fun!

     The first dozen of these traps were shown to me by a chess.com member, Ty Hutchinson, who had a special fondness for them.   Mr. Hutchinson, a very sweet man, passed away quite sadly and unexpectedly in 2010 at age 41.  I thought it would be both appropriate and fitting to present his opening traps without comment as a kind of memorial. I left some of his notes intact. 

Lol much less a scroll !😂

....and, of course by the way, both your recent threads of share are awesome ! ._.

....forgive me if some may find offense to this, but... 

                                                                                        ....isn’t it much more a FUN game to never read on tactics, nor study, and advance on your own enjoyment of gained experience, should not it be so ??? 🤷‍♂️

😂 well lmao... sure yeah, it isn’t an egotistical approach, I agree... But I have never nor ever will I even understand a good reason for points, and would love to just enjoy my chess with none whatsoever and level either beginning intermediate or advanced enough to me, keeping the FUN factor.

... roflmao oh.... and, what the snot is bullet ? 🤣

R.I.P. Mr. Hutchinson

Thanks for the hard work . I could review them later again.

That was so beautiful.

Lol that fourth is totally hilarious 😆 

BG, you are so awesome, these are absolutely deadly and fun at the same time :-)

GM William Lombardy wrote the book on opening traps, literally.  "Modern Chess Opening Traps"

A lot of games....but great info! You are super awesome at chess history and I can't wait to see when another post comes out.

Sadly, Wild Bill couldn't make it here today.

As you say, chess can be about beauty as well as competing.  That's the main tenet of the Romanticists. 

traxler and fried liver was my favourite 

I always felt sorry for N.N. . (although he's/she must be over 140 years old and still playing) N.N. gets around, I've seen games from Cuba to China, and sadly never have seen him/her win. Losing must be the key to long life!

Morning!!. Thanks for a bumper selection!. The Tarrasch trap was something he pulled off twice, I think, one loser being no less than Gunsberg. Hope all is well with you.

🆗