1.e3 - I recreate a queen trap from du Mont's book
NN vs F Rhine, 2019  (A00) Uncommon Opening, 5 moves, 0-1
From's Gambit mate
P Pantelidakis vs F Rhine, 1974  (A02) Bird's Opening, 6 moves, 0-1
From's Gambit - my shortest tournament win
P Napetschnig vs F Rhine, 1977  (A02) Bird's Opening, 5 moves, 0-1
From's Gambit
NN vs M Bier, 1905  (A02) Bird's Opening, 11 moves, 0-1
English - the fork trick fails to another fork trick
A C Chow vs E Karklins, 1979  (A18) English, Mikenas-Carls, 7 moves, 0-1
Reversed Sicilian 3...g6 (6...Nce7! is correct)
D Andreikin vs Karjakin, 2010  (A27) English, Three Knights System, 10 moves, 1-0
Only in correspondence chess - or bullet
J F Campbell vs A Ehrlich, 1990  (A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 3 moves, 1-0
The classic Englund Gambit trap
H Silbermann vs Honich, 1930  (A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 8 moves, 0-1
Englund Gambit, a sleazy blitz trap
NN vs F Rhine, 2020  (A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 13 moves, 0-1
English/Benoni Declined - Qa5+ spears a knight on e5
R Combe vs W Hasenfuss, 1933  (A43) Old Benoni, 4 moves, 0-1
My favorite trap against the evil London System
Shuler vs C S Hall, 1990  (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 6 moves, 0-1
Trompowsky - shades of Schlechter-Perlis
S Terentiev vs J Gallagher, 1990  (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 22 moves, 0-1
Trompowsky - shortest decisive master game
Z Djordjevic vs M Kovacevic, 1984  (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 3 moves, 0-1
Richter-Veresov Attack 3...c5 (a beautiful queen sac!)
E Sollano vs F Rhine, 1977  (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 12 moves, 0-1
Colle Attack, Karklins Gambit
NN vs F Rhine, 2019  (A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 11 moves, 0-1
London System
M Knezevic vs Miles, 1986  (A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 24 moves, 1-0
Budapest Fajarowicz
L Alster vs Prochazka, 1944  (A51) Budapest Gambit, 11 moves, 1-0
Budapest, famous super-brevity
F B Arnold vs M L Hanauer, 1936  (A51) Budapest Gambit, 5 moves, 0-1
Budapest Fajarowicz ...Nxf2!
M Warren vs J Selman, 1930  (A51) Budapest Gambit, 6 moves, 0-1
The famous Budapest trap
Henricksen vs Pedersen, 1937  (A52) Budapest Gambit, 8 moves, 0-1
Budapest
C Pesantes Carbajal vs J Sampouw, 1972 (A52) Budapest Gambit, 20 moves, 1-0
Dutch, 2.h3
C F Johansson vs M Hernback, 1997  (A80) Dutch, 6 moves, 1-0
Dutch, 2.Bg5 - Black gets greedy
F Teed vs E Delmar, 1896  (A80) Dutch, 8 moves, 1-0
A Scandinavian beauty
R Runau vs Schmidt, 1972  (B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 16 moves, 1-0
Scandinavian 3...Qc6??
K D Reichwald vs G Scheuerlein, 2011  (B01) Scandinavian, 4 moves, 1-0
Scandinavian 2...Nf6, 6.c5
Timman vs M Ahmed Bakali, 1974  (B01) Scandinavian, 8 moves, 1-0
Scandinavian, pseudo-queen sac
J Mieses vs J Ohquist, 1895  (B01) Scandinavian, 7 moves, 1-0
Scandinavian, Portuguese - GM mated in 13 moves!
W Zili vs R Damaso, 1996  (B01) Scandinavian, 13 moves, 0-1
Pirc Defense 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.e5!?
Hjorleifur Halldorsson vs C P Smith, 2017 (B07) Pirc, 24 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann, Two Knights Variation
Lasker vs H Mueller, 1934  (B10) Caro-Kann, 32 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann 4...Nf6 5.Qd3
Reti vs Tartakower, 1910  (B15) Caro-Kann, 11 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann 4...Nd7, smothered mate
F Vogt vs H Lehmann, 1947  (B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 6 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann 4...Nd7
B Perenyi vs L Eperjesi, 1974  (B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 14 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann 4...Nd7 - Ba5! traps the queen
A Karklins vs Dlugy, 1986  (B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 22 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann 5.Bd3 gambit - shades of Reti-Tartakower
Koltanowski vs A Dunkelblum, 1923  (B18) Caro-Kann, Classical, 15 moves, 1-0
Sicilian, Wing Gambit (shortest win in U.S. Championship)
K Shirazi vs J Peters, 1984  (B20) Sicilian, 5 moves, 0-1
Sicilian, Smith-Morra, Siberian Trap
G Rohit vs K Szabo, 2001  (B21) Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4, 9 moves, 0-1
Chameleon Sicilian - smothered mate on move 4!
C F Heng vs B Oh, 2017  (B23) Sicilian, Closed, 4 moves, 0-1
Nimzowitsch Sicilian 4...Nxc3 5.dxc3 b6?? 6.e6!!
L Rellstab vs W Schoenmann, 1932  (B29) Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein, 23 moves, 1-0
Sicilian - the Polar Vortex Trap, my invention
NN vs F Rhine, 2019  (B30) Sicilian, 10 moves, 0-1
Sicilian, Accelerated Dragon
Fischer vs Reshevsky, 1958  (B32) Sicilian, 42 moves, 1-0
Sicilian Sveshnikov, 7.Nd5
A Paramzina vs R Brambilla, 2021  (B33) Sicilian, 11 moves, 1-0
Sicilian Kan, Maroczy Bind, ...Bc5 wins the queen
D Gonzales vs J Frenklakh, 1995  (B41) Sicilian, Kan, 10 moves, 0-1
Sicilian, Magnus Smith Trap
Fischer vs NN, 1964  (B56) Sicilian, 9 moves, 1-0
Sicilian Dragon 6.g3
W Ritson-Morry vs G T Crown, 1947  (B58) Sicilian, 10 moves, 0-1
Sicilian Richter-Rauzer 6...Qb6 (but 10.Rb1! +- refutes)
NN vs F Rhine, 2020  (B60) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 12 moves, 0-1
Sicilian Richter-Rauzer 7...a6 8.O-O-O h6
A Kornfeld vs D Sprenkle, 1977  (B62) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 17 moves, 0-1
A typical trap in the Richter-Rauzer
A J Fulton vs L Luk, 1984  (B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 35 moves, 0-1
Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
A Jain vs J Anderson, 2007 (B68) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 9...Be7, 15 moves, 0-1
Sicilian Levenfish claims another victim
F Brady vs S H Langer, 1960  (B71) Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation, 10 moves, 1-0
Exchange French - Black gets his bishop trapped
C Hansen vs P Rodas, 1980  (C01) French, Exchange, 6 moves, 1-0
French, classical queen trap I
A Meszaros vs A Sherzer, 1988  (C07) French, Tarrasch, 17 moves, 1-0
French, classic queen trap II
F Rhine vs NN, 2020  (C10) French, 22 moves, 1-0
French - Qe4 forks rook and h7
J Lakdawala vs M Nietman, 1987  (C11) French, 11 moves, 1-0
Alapin's Opening
W G Stenhouse vs R Treece, 1950  (C20) King's Pawn Game, 12 moves, 1-0
Vienna Game
I A Horowitz vs NN, 1940  (C23) Bishop's Opening, 14 moves, 1-0
Bishop's Opening/Vienna 3...Nxe4 4.Bxf7+?!
Kutjanin vs Jakobjuk, 1940  (C23) Bishop's Opening, 7 moves, 1-0
King's Gambit, fxe5?? I
O Rigaud vs J Cooper, 1974  (C30) King's Gambit Declined, 5 moves, 0-1
King's Gambit, fxe5?? II
A Liang vs N Sarin, 2022  (C30) King's Gambit Declined, 8 moves, 0-1
Philidor's - the weakness of f7 tells
Fischer vs Fine, 1963  (C41) Philidor Defense, 10 moves, 1-0
Philidor's, Hanham, queen trap
N Krogius vs N Aratovsky, 1945  (C41) Philidor Defense, 12 moves, 1-0
Petroff
Dominguez Perez vs E Moradiabadi, 2022  (C42) Petrov Defense, 10 moves, 1-0
Anand loses in 6! - Petroff 5.Nc3 Bf5??
A Zapata vs Anand, 1988  (C42) Petrov Defense, 6 moves, 1-0
Petroff 5.Nc3 Qe7??
D Gantsevich vs M Biyachuev, 2012  (C42) Petrov Defense, 58 moves, 1-0
Damiano Petroff - 4...Nc6??
Koltanowski vs K Diller, 1960  (C42) Petrov Defense, 5 moves, 1-0
Damiano Petroff, bishop trap line
M Haubro vs V Stefansson, 2022 (C42) Petrov Defense, 19 moves, 0-1
Stafford Gambit - Légal's Mate
N Vanderhallen vs B Skjoldan, 1998  (C42) Petrov Defense, 8 moves, 0-1
Stafford Gambit (by transposition) - but 6...Nxe4! is best
NN vs F Rhine, 2017  (A04) Reti Opening, 9 moves, 0-1
Stafford Gambit
S Tadic vs E Rosen, 2020  (C42) Petrov Defense, 9 moves, 0-1
Stafford Gambit beats a GM
S Erenburg vs E Rosen, 2024  (C42) Petrov Defense, 14 moves, 0-1
Stafford Gambit
J Zienkiewicz vs F Mallassagne, 2020 (C42) Petrov Defense, 9 moves, 0-1
Eric Rosen's most beautiful win with the Stafford Gambit
Dmitry Zhuchek vs E Rosen, 2021  (C42) Petrov Defense, 22 moves, 0-1
Three Knights Game 3...g6 (6...Nce7! is correct)
B Blumenfeld vs NN, 1903  (C45) Scotch Game, 10 moves, 1-0
Scotch Game - a predecessor of the Reti-Tartakower theme
L Maczuski vs Kolisch, 1863  (C45) Scotch Game, 15 moves, 1-0
Scotch, Steinitz Variation - queen trap
P Frazer vs Taubenhaus, 1888  (C45) Scotch Game, 8 moves, 1-0
The infamous "Blackburne Shilling Gambit"
Muehlock vs Kostic, 1912  (C50) Giuoco Piano, 7 moves, 0-1
Ruy Lopez 3...Nge7 - a surprising finish
G Thorhallsson vs B Thorfinnsson, 2009  (C60) Ruy Lopez, 10 moves, 0-1
Ruy Lopez, Mortimer Trap
Jana Boehm vs Swenja Wagner, 2015 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 20 moves, 0-1
Ruy Lopez, Berlin 5.Re1, 10.Bd3!? exchange sac
Karjakin vs Topalov, 2019  (C67) Ruy Lopez, 18 moves, 1-0
Ruy Lopez, Exchange (fishing pole)
Privalov vs V Malaniuk, 1974  (C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 15 moves, 0-1
Ruy Lopez, Noah's Ark Trap
R Dworzynski vs Keres, 1956  (C71) Ruy Lopez, 11 moves, 0-1
Ruy Lopez, O-O-O+! wins Black's rook on b2
O Feuer vs O'Kelly, 1934  (C73) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 13 moves, 1-0
Richter-Veresov, piece trap
A Dias Huizar vs E Daverio, 2021  (D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 6 moves, 1-0
Slav - Lasker's shortest loss
H Caro vs Lasker, 1890  (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 14 moves, 1-0
London System, a surprising Greek gift
Kamsky vs Shankland, 2014  (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 1-0
QGD Marshall, Greek gift
F Rhine vs NN, 2020 (D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 12 moves, 1-0
QGD Marshall, Greek gift (12.Qg4!! is even better)
F Rhine vs NN, 2021  (D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 13 moves, 1-0
QGD Marshall, pseudo-queen sacrifice
D Genz vs D Boehmer, 1985  (D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 11 moves, 1-0
And another!
F Rhine vs NN, 2017  (D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 12 moves, 1-0
And yet another!
F Rhine vs NN, 2021 (D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 12 moves, 1-0
QGD Chigorin
M R Taylor vs M Hardman, 2006 (D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 27 moves, 1-0
Albin Counter-Gambit, Lasker Trap
G Thompson vs Lasker, 1902  (D08) Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit, 13 moves, 0-1
Albin Counter-Gambit, smothered mate
D Miller vs Peterson, 1959  (D08) Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit, 8 moves, 0-1
Slav - Qa5+ winning a bishop on g5
NN vs F Rhine, 2011  (D10) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 22 moves, 0-1
Slav - early ...Bf5 gets Black in trouble
F Rhine vs NN, 2007  (D10) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 11 moves, 1-0
Slav - a classic promotion combination
Schlechter vs J Perlis, 1911  (D12) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 10 moves, 1-0
QGA, 5...Qa5+ picks up a knight on g5
I Farago vs V Bliumberg, 1994  (D21) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 5 moves, 0-1
QGA - similar to the Siberian Trap
T Hoang vs D Belenkaya, 2017 (D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 22 moves, 0-1
QGD, Exchange Variation
Kotov vs Petrosian, 1949  (D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 13 moves, 1-0
QGD, Elephant Trap
C Mayet vs Harrwitz, 1848  (D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 8 moves, 0-1
QGD Rubinstein Trap, Part I
Euwe vs Rubinstein, 1928  (D63) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 55 moves, 1-0
QGD Rubinstein Trap, Part II
Alekhine vs Rubinstein, 1930  (D63) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 46 moves, 1-0
Bogo-Indian tragicomedy
L Palau vs S Kalabar, 1927  (E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 5 moves, 1-0
Queen's Indian - Karpov falls into a double attack
L Christiansen vs Karpov, 1993  (E12) Queen's Indian, 12 moves, 1-0
Caro-Kann, smothered mate on move 5!
Rapport vs T Rogers, 2014  (B10) Caro-Kann, 5 moves, 1-0
Sicilian Dragon 6.Be3 Ng4??
V Borsony vs A Laustsen, 1956  (B70) Sicilian, Dragon Variation, 7 moves, 1-0
QGA 3.e3 - Black gets greedy
Greco vs NN, 1620  (D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 6 moves, 1-0
Grob Gambit 5...cxd5?? (5...exd5! is correct)
P H Nielsen vs L Sawlin, 2015  (A00) Uncommon Opening, 6 moves, 1-0
Sicilian Kan 5.Bf4??
NN vs B Pandolfini, 1967  (B28) Sicilian, O'Kelly Variation, 6 moves, 0-1
Philidor's Defense, Hanham
Polo vs Pasqualini, 1923  (C41) Philidor Defense, 9 moves, 1-0
Philidor's Defense, Hanham
F Rhine vs NN, 2021  (C41) Philidor Defense, 10 moves, 1-0
Tarrasch French - White "wins" Black's queen
J McDonnell vs E Player, 2000 (C05) French, Tarrasch, 16 moves, 0-1
QGA
Mamedyarov vs Kasparov, 2021  (D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 7 moves, 1-0
Slav 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qb3, queen trap
N Peregudov vs B Asanov, 1994 (D23) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 11 moves, 0-1
Larsen's Opening
B Adhiban vs Navara, 2021  (A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 9 moves, 1-0
London System - Black blunders into checkmate
Kamsky vs G Souleidis, 2024 (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 8 moves, 1-0
Catalan - Black blunders a piece
A Erigaisi vs H Bharathakoti, 2021 (E01) Catalan, Closed, 7 moves, 1-0
Albin Counter-Gambit 3.e3
NN vs Livingstone, 1941  (C01) French, Exchange, 10 moves, 0-1
Caruana vs Firouzja, 2024  (A11) English, Caro-Kann Defensive System, 9 moves, 1-0
Sicilian, Smith-Morra Gambit
Paul Godfrey vs A L MacFarlane, 1998  (B21) Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4, 47 moves, 1-0
Albin Counter-Gambit
F Rhine vs NN, 2023  (D09) Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit, 5.g3, 13 moves, 1-0
B Holtrop vs R Straat, 2000  (D87) Grunfeld, Exchange, 15 moves, 0-1
Carapelli vs F K Young, 1874  (C40) King's Knight Opening, 13 moves, 0-1
NN vs F Rhine, 2025 (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 5 moves, 0-1
124 games |