Dance of the Horses

1. d4, d5
2. c4, c5
3. Nf3 ....

If 3. dxc5 d4, 4. e3 e5, and Black has control of the center.

3. .... dxc4
4. Nc3, cxd4
5. Qxd4, Qxd4
6. Nxd4, a6
7. Nd5, Kd8

Necessary, as White threatens 8. Nc7+.

8. Bd2, Nd7
 

Moved in order to support b6.

9. Ba5+, b6
10. Nc6+, Ke8
11. Nc7 mate.

Frederiksborg Sacrifice

White sacrifices his Queen to win the game.

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, d6
4. 0-0, Ne7
5. Ng5, f6?

This move breaks open Black's kingside.  Best defense is 5....d5.

6. Bf7+, Kd7
7. Qg4+ ....

If 7. Ne6, White wins the Black Queen, but White goes after the most important piece.

7. .... f5
8. exf5, h5

Black is compelled to drive the Queen away, but White is undeterred.

9. f6+, hxg4
10. Be6+, Ke8
11. f7 mate

Sicilian Ruckus

The game is an offshoot of Sicilian Defense.

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, e5
5. Nxc6, bxc6
6. c4, Nf6
7. Qc2, Bc5
8. Bd3? ....

More defensive is Be2.

8. .... Ng4
9. 0-0, Qh4

Threatening mate at h2.

10. h3, h5
11. Qe2 ....

The only hope.  White tries to bring his Queen into play through 12. Qf3 in order to neutralize Black's attack. 

11. .... Qg3

Black takes advantage of the pinned f2 pawn.  White has no choice but to capture the Knight.

12. hxg4 ....

White may prolong the game by sacrificing his Queen:  12. Qxg4 hxg4, 13. Be3 Bxe3, 14. fxe3 Qxe3+ and Black wins.

12. ....  hxg4

White resigns since he cannot avoid mate at h1 after ....Qh2+.

De Coca Trap

1. e4, Nc6
2. d4, d5
3. exd5, Qxd5
4. Nf3, Bg4
5. Nc3, Bxf3
6. Nxd5, Bxd1
7. Nc7+, Kd8
8. Nxa8, Bxc2

After the smoke has cleared, White emerges as a piece up.

9. Bf4 ....

White is intent on maintaining his material advantage.  He should have saved the center pawn, mobilized his f1 Bishop and castled on the king side.

9. .... Nxd4
10. Nc7 ....

White tries to save his Knight.

10. .... e5!
11. Bxe5, Bb4 mate.

From's Gambit

1. f4 ....

Chess literature has long discouraged this opening for White.  It weakens White's kingside defense and becomes susceptible to attack.

1. .... e5

Black sacrifices a pawn to gain control of the center.

2. fxe5, d6
3. exd6, Bxd6
4. Nf3, g5

Black keeps up the pressure.

5. e4, g4
6. e5 ....

White decides to counterplay.  He is better off in 6. Nd4 Qh4+, 7. Ke2 g3, 8. h3 Bh4, 9. Nf3 ....

6. .... gxf3
7. exd6, Qh4+

The beginning of White's end.

8. g3, Qe4+
9. Kf2, Qd4+
10. Ke1, f2+
11. Ke2, Bg4 mate

Quasimodo Trap

The Trap in this game was used to counter an Evan's Gambit which is characterized by the sacrificial move ....b4.  An example of Evan's Gambit may be found in Brilliant Chess Games.

1. e4, c5
2. b4, cxb4
3. d4, e5
4. dxe5, Nc6
5. Nf3, Nge7
6. Bf4, Ng6
7. Bg3, Qa5
8. Qd5, b3!
9. Qxa5, b2!!

Black intends to capture the a1 Rook and promote the pawn to Queen.

10. Qc3 ....

The only way to save the Queen and prevent the pawn from being promoted.

10. .... Bb4
11. Qxb4??  ....

A very bad move.  White's better alternative is 11. N1d2 and after 11.....Bxc3 12. Rb1, White would be fine.

11. .... Nxb4

White resigns.  The b2 Pawn will capture the Rook and will be promoted to Queen.

Chambord Gambit

In this game, Black lures White into believing that he has the upper hand, but Black has something else in mind.

1. d4, d5
2. c4, e5
3. e3, exd4
4. exd4, Nf6
5. Bg5, Be6
6. cxd5, Bxd5
7. Nc3, Nc6
8. Nxd5, Qxd5
9. Bxf6 ....

White is led to believe that Black would have a double-pawn.  Black's next move surprises him.

9. .... Bb4+
10. Ke2, Qe4 mate.

Guaita Attack

The game is derived from a variation of the French Defense.

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5
3. Nc3, dxe4
4. Nxe4, Bd6
5. Bd3, Ne7
6. Bg5, 0-0
7. Nf6+ .....

The beginning of White's attack.

7. .... gxf6
8. Bxf6, Qd7

Black has to remove the pin on its Queen, since White threatens 9. Qg4+ and Black must be able to block the threat by 9....Ng6.  However, Black did not foresee White's next move.

9. Bxh7+, Kxh7
10. Qh5+, Kg8
11. Qh8 mate.

Enchanting !

Moritzburg Trap

The following game comes from a variation of the King's Gambit Accepted.  It has a semblance of The Legal's Trap that can be found in this blog.

1. e4, e5
2. f4, d6
3. Nf3, Bg4
4. Bc4, exf4
5. Nc3, g5
6. Ne5 ....

 A trap.  White temps Black to capture the Queen.

6. .... Bxd1

If 6.....dxe5, the game may continue: 7. Qxg4 c5, 8. Qf5! Qe7, 9.  Qc8+ Qd8, 10. Bxf7+ Ke7, 11. Nd5+ and Black's Queen is lost.

7.  Bxf7+, Ke7
8. Nd5 mate.

Blair Attack

The game features an exemplary attack on f7,

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. d4, exd4
5. Nxd4, Nxe4
6. Bxf7+ ....

The commencement of Blair Attack.

6. .... Kxf7
7. Qh5+, g6

The most logical move.  If 7....Kg8 then 8. Qd5 mate.  If 7.... Ke7 then 8. Nf5+ with a blistering attack.

8. Qd5+, Kg7
9. Nxc6 ....

White simplifies the position, taking advantage of the pin on Black Queen.  Now, if 9....bxc6, then 10. Qxe4.

9. .... Nf6

Black tries to save his remaining Knight, hoping for an exchange of Queens as in: 10. Nxd8 Nxd5.

10. Bh6+, Kxh6
11. Qd2+

Black resigns.  His Queen is lost.

Hatley Gambit

This game features a magnificent Queen sacrifice on the 8th move.

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. d4, exd4
4. Nxd4, Nge7?

Black's last move prevents his other pieces from being mobilized.

5. Nc3, g6
6. Bg5, Bg7
7. Nd5, Bxd4


Black took the gambit pawn, not knowing that it is poisoned.   If 7....Nxd4, then 8. Bxe7 and White wins the Queen.

8. Qxd4 ....

A complete surprise.  This move also threatens 9. Qxh8.  At this point, if 8....0-0, then 9. Nf6+ Kh8, 10. Qc3 with a good pin on the Black King.

8. ....  Nxd4
9. Nf6+, Kf8
10. Bh6 mate.

Hohensalzburg Sacrifice

In this game, Black sacrifices a Bishop and a Knight in order to win.

1. d4, d5
2. Nf3, Nf6
3. Nbd2, e6
4. a3, c5
5. dxc5, Bxc5
6. b4, Bxf2+

7. Kxf2, Ng4+
8. Kg3 ....

If 8. Ke1, then 9......Ne3 smothers the Queen.

8. .... h5!
9. h3 ....

White tries to drive away the Knight.  If 9. h4, then ....Qc7+ 10. Kh3 e5!!.  An attack follows after the opening of the h3-e8 diagonal.

9. .... h4+
10. Kxg4, e5 mate.

Beautiful.

Peles Attack

The Peles Attack involves a pawn sacrifice at the opening stage of the game.

1. e4, c5
2. d4, cxd4
3. Nf3, e5
4. c3 ....

After 4. Nxe5 Qe7, 5. Bf4 d6, Black acquires control of the center.

4. .... dxc3
5. Nxc3, Nc6
6. Bc4, Be7
7. Qd5! ....

7. .... Qc7

Since Black has no way of defending the f7 square, he creates an escape route for the King.

Another alternative for Black is 7....d6 but the Black King may be forced to move to center.  The game may continue 8. Qxf7 Kd7, 9. Nb5 (threatening Be6 mate) Nd4, 10. Nfxd4 exd4, 11. Be6+ Kc6, 12. Nxd4+ ....

8. Qxf7+, Kd8
9. Qxg7, Bf6

The only way to save the Rook.

10. Qf8 mate.

Matsumoto Trap

The game was derived from a variation of the King's Gambit Accepted.

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, Be7
4. Bc4, Bh4+
5. Nxh4 ....

The more popular variation is 5. g3 fxg3, 6. 0-0 gxh2+, 7. Kh1 with a potential attack on f7.

5. .... Qxh4+
6. Kf1, Nf6
7. d3? ....

White's best line of defense should have been 7. h3.  Now, if 7....Nxe4 Qe2 with a good pin on Black's King.

7. .... Ng4
8. Qe2 ....

Now, Black is poised for attack....

8. .... Nxh2+
9. Kg1, f3!
10. gxf3? ....

White takes the trap.  One defensive move is 10. Qf2 Qxf2, 11. Kxf2 Ng4++, 12. Kf1  (Not 12. Kxf3 because of 12....Ne5 which favors Black)  fxg2+, 13. Kxg2 and Black's attack fizzles out.

10. .... Qg3+
11. Qg2, Nxf3+
12. Kf1, Qe1 mate.