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Chess traps every beginner should know

The Blackburne–Shilling Trap

In the Italian game Black plays the odd-looking 3...Nd4, leaving the e5 pawn hanging. White grabs it, Black's queen comes to g5 hitting both the knight and g2, and greedy play from White ends in a smothered-style mate on f3.

It is named after Joseph Blackburne, who reportedly won many casual games with it — even though the move 3...Nd4 is objectively not great.

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Nf3#

Your queen goes to g5, White’s knight greedily takes f7. The queen eats g2, then e4 with check, the bishop blocks on e2, and your knight mates from f3. If their queen blocks instead, the knight eats it.

What if the opponent doesn’t take the bait?

Block with the queen

4...Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Qe2 Nxe2

No mate, but White’s queen joins your collection. Their king is still stuck in the middle.

Retreat the knight

4...Qg5 5.Ng4 d5

White didn’t bite. Push a pawn to d5: it hits the c4 bishop and opens your bishop onto the g4 knight.

How not to fall for it

As White, meet 3...Nd4 with 4.Nxd4 exd4 or simply 4.O-O or 4.c3. Don't take on e5 — the pawn is poisoned.

If you already took 4.Nxe5 and the queen is on g5, do not take f7. 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O or retreating the knight keeps you in the game.

Questions

Is 3...Nd4 a good move?

Not objectively — after 4.Nxd4 or 4.O-O White is comfortable. It is a practical trap that punishes the greedy 4.Nxe5.

What is the final checkmate?

After 7.Be2 the black knight jumps to f3: the king is boxed in by its own pieces and the knight gives mate.

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