Tarrasch Trap refers to two different

chess opening A chess opening or simply an opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established theory; the other phases are the middlegame and the endgame. Many opening sequences have standard names such as the "Sicilian Defens ...

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

s in the

Ruy Lopez The Ruy Lopez (; ), also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bb5 The Ruy Lopez is named after 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura. It is one o ...

that are named for

Siegbert Tarrasch Siegbert Tarrasch (; 5 March 1862 – 17 February 1934) was a German chess player, considered to have been among the strongest players and most influential theoreticians of the late 19th and early 20th century. Life Tarrasch was born in Bresla ...

. Unlike many variations that appear only in analysis, Tarrasch actually sprung his traps against masters in tournament games.

Tarrasch Trap in the Open Variation

Two masters actually fell for this trap against Tarrasch:

Johannes Zukertort Johannes Hermann Zukertort (Polish: ''Jan Hermann Cukiertort''; 7 September 1842 – 20 June 1888) was a Polish chess master. He was one of the leading world players for most of the 1870s and 1880s, but lost to Wilhelm Steinitz in the World Ches ...

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

in 1887 and

Isidor Gunsberg Isidore ( ; also spelled Isador, Isadore and Isidor) is an English and French masculine given name. The name is derived from the Greek name ''Isídōros'' (Ἰσίδωρος) and can literally be translated to "gift of Isis." The name has survived ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

in 1890. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 :This is the Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez. 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Re1 0-0 11. Nd4 Qd7 (see diagram) :Falling into the trap. 12. Nxe6 :No matter how Black recaptures, the

pawn Pawn most often refers to: * Pawn (chess), the weakest and most numerous piece in the game * Pawnbroker or pawnshop, a business that provides loans by taking personal property as collateral Pawn may also refer to: Places * Pawn, Oregon, an his ...

on d5 will be pinned (along the d-

file File or filing may refer to: Mechanical tools and processes * File (tool), a tool used to ''remove'' fine amounts of material from a workpiece **Filing (metalworking), a material removal process in manufacturing ** Nail file, a tool used to gent ...

or along the a2–g8 diagonal). After 12...Qxe6 or 12...fxe6 White wins a piece with 13.Rxe4.

Tarrasch Trap in the Steinitz Variation

The second Tarrasch Trap, sometimes referred to as the Dresden Trap, occurs in the Steinitz Variation. Tarrasch published analysis of this trap in 1891, but 18 months later

Georg Marco Georg Marco (29 November 1863 – 29 August 1923) was an Austrian chess player. He was born in Chernivtsi (Cernăuţi), Bukovina (then part of Austria-Hungary). He later settled in Vienna and was secretary of the Viennese Chess Association. I ...

fell into it in Tarrasch versus Marco,

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

1892.Tarrasch versus Marco
/ref> Tarrasch spent just five minutes thinking during the entire game. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 :This is the Steinitz Variation of the Ruy Lopez. 4. d4 Bd7 :Black breaks the pin to meet the threat of 5.d5. 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. 0-0 Be7 7. Re1 (see diagram) :Laying a subtle trap.

Castling Castling is a move in chess. It consists of moving the king two squares toward a rook on the same and then moving the rook to the square that the king passed over. Castling is permitted only if neither the king nor the rook has previously moved ...

seems natural for Black but it loses a pawn. Instead, 7...exd4 is better. 7... 0-0? 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8 Raxd8 11. Nxe5 :Black's best move here is probably 11...Bd7, although White would remain a pawn ahead. 11... Bxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 :White can go astray too, 13.Rxe4?? would be a horrible blunder as Black would

checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

with 13...Rd1+ 14. Re1 Rxe1#. White blocks that possibility with his next move, making the threat real against the black

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

on e4. 13. Nd3 f5 :The black knight cannot move because of the pin against the

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

on e7. 14. f3 Bc5+?! :Better is 14...Bh4 15.g3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Bxg3 where Black get two pawns for the knight. 15. Nxc5 Nxc5 16. Bg5 Rd5 17. Be7 Re8 18. c4 1–0 :White wins at least the

exchange Exchange may refer to: Physics *Gas exchange is the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. Places United States * Exchange, Indiana, an unincorporated community * ...

, so Marco

resigned Resignation is the formal act of leaving or quitting one's office or position. A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or choos ...

References

Bibliography *{{cite book , last1=Hooper , first1=David , authorlink1=David Vincent Hooper , last2=Whyld , first2=Kenneth , authorlink2=Kenneth Whyld , title=

The Oxford Companion to Chess ''The Oxford Companion to Chess'' is a reference book on the game of chess written by David Vincent Hooper and Kenneth Whyld. The book is written in an encyclopedia format. The book belongs to the Oxford Companions series. Details The first e ...

, publisher=Oxford University , year=1992 , edition=2nd , contribution= Tarrasch Trap , page=412 , isbn=0-19-280049-3 Chess traps 1887 in chess 1891 in chess