The Baltic Trap + When h-pawns Dream

What is the verdict on NxNe5 instead?

Just noticed this post.


7..Nxe5 must be playble. The trap was Black taking the d-pawn so this
just leads to another game. You can see see after 8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1....


White is going to have an enjoyable middle game plus and Black has to unwind
his Queenside carefully. Getting the c8 Bishop active will take a while.

Wether or not the like of us are good enough to convert it into a winning position
v best play is another matter.

Infact (and I'd like to thank you CaptainBIdseye for bringing this up) with a
few slack moves Black has been know to win from the above position in 16 moves.

Paul 'I like end games 'Leggett - SmilingSimon RHP 2009

(never mind Smiling Simon, you are now looking at grinning greenpawn) 😏

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Just noticed this post.

[fen]r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/2p1N3/2pP4/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7[/fen]
7..Nxe5 must be playble. The trap was Black taking the d-pawn so this
just leads to another game. You can see see after 8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1....

[fen]r1b1kb1r/pp3ppp/4pn2/2p1P3/2p5/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBR2K1 b kq - 0 9[/fen]
White is going to have an enjo ...[text shortened]... teps on it.} 16. Nxc8 Bxc5+ {CHECK! White has lost a piece.}[/pgn]

I had 16. Ba7 in my notes and forgot that I hadn't played it yet. I remember this game, but I was trying to forget!

If you can't cut the mustard, you end up wearing the custard... 😉

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Just noticed this post.

[fen]r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/2p1N3/2pP4/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7[/fen]
7..Nxe5 must be playble. The trap was Black taking the d-pawn so this
just leads to another game. You can see see after 8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1....

[fen]r1b1kb1r/pp3ppp/4pn2/2p1P3/2p5/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBR2K1 b kq - 0 9[/fen]
White is going to have an enjo teps on it.} 16. Nxc8 Bxc5+ {CHECK! White has lost a piece.}[/pgn]

Actually, the more I think about this, I don't think it qualifies as a trap, except that winning positions can breed carelessness. I flipped over to the game and played Nxc8, and only realized after I made the fateful mouse click that I had not yet played Ba7 first.

A neat blunder, perhaps, but not a trap, especially as the bad bishop on c8 was hardly bait without the idea of Ba7 with tempo to accompany it.

I myself have won from from lost positions myself, but it's not a strategy I recommend if it can be avoided!