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Traps

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What is a trap? I hear all the time about people setting up traps and such, but what actually defines a trap? Would this game count? Game 3441422

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no. Trap is something else. Here blunders decided.

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I don't think that it qualifies as a trap, I think the better players will just call it a Blunder on your opponents part,

This is coming from someone who varies from 1170-1230, so don't take it to heart. ^.^

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But wouldn't an opponent have to blunder to fall into the trap? Otherwise it wouldn't really be a trap, would it?

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Good point, I guess,

But the one you showed was a very obvious blunder.

I don't know the specifics or anything, like I said, don't take what I say to heart.

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Does anyone have a good example of a trap that they could post? Or perhaps refer me to a game where one was used?

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Originally posted by mrjonesvich321
Does anyone have a good example of a trap that they could post? Or perhaps refer me to a game where one was used?
The Noah's Ark trap is a good one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah's_Ark_Trap

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I think move 20b in this game probably qualifies as a trap - the white bishop is immobilized and then captured a few moves later. Very simple though...

Game 3222096

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Originally posted by woof
I think move 20b in this game probably qualifies as a trap - the white bishop is immobilized and then captured a few moves later. Very simple though...

Game 3222096
Yeah, that's the standard a7/h7/a2/h2 bishop trap. I fell for that a couple of times when I first started playing. You quickly learn not to do that. 😀

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Originally posted by azalin76
I don't think that it qualifies as a trap, I think the better players will just call it a Blunder on your opponents part,

This is coming from someone who varies from 1170-1230, so don't take it to heart. ^.^
You're wrong, that was a great trap, although not a difficult one to avoid. He lured his opponent into a really natural looking move and it lost, instantly. A trap is when you pursuade your opponent to blunder, there really isn't anything deeper to it than that.

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Originally posted by mrjonesvich321
But wouldn't an opponent have to blunder to fall into the trap? Otherwise it wouldn't really be a trap, would it?
They'd have to make a mistake, not a blunder.

D

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To me, a trap consists of a hidden tactic, often in the opening, that exploits a weakness in an opponent's position that has arisen as a result of a seemingly reasonable move.

Here's a trap in the Morra gambit.
1.e4...c5
2.c4...dxc4
3.c3...dxc3
4.Nxc3...d6
5.Bc4...Nf6
6.e5!...dxe5??



Then
7.Bxf7+!
and the deflection on the king wins the black queen.

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I like the Lasker trap in the albin counter gambit... pretty easy to fall into if you're unfamiliar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker_Trap

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Originally posted by mrjonesvich321
What is a trap? I hear all the time about people setting up traps and such, but what actually defines a trap? Would this game count? Game 3441422
I'd define setting a trap as playing a sub-optimal move because you expect your opponent to make a sub-optimal move in response which loses.
On the other hand, if you play what you believe is the best move and even the (perceived) best move from your opponent loses, no matter how tactically devious that move is, it's sharp play.

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Ok this clears up a lot of things. So I guess it's pretty much just hoping that your opponent will miss the set-up and blunder into it. Thanks.