Miniatures are the best

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Miniatures are the best.

As long as you win them of course.

Here another one of 13 moves, nice trap in the Caro Kann:

https://lichess.org/ja03lx2bYNA4

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

This is a classic. Mate in 8 after queen sacrifice in the Petrov followed by the Stafford gambit.

Why is not everybody studying opening traps one wonders?

The beauty is, after the opponent plays 6.Bg5, he is lost. He just doesn't know it yet.

It is such a natural and sensible move, it's just that it is a death sentence.

HalleluJah!!

https://lichess.org/jfiGIg3sWwss

http://tiny.cc/Albert-chess

[Offramp]

That was a GG! Quite a whirlwind. I play the Caro-Kann and I can easily imagine me losing this kind of game.

[Offramp]

On Saturday, 4 January 2020 20:48:54 UTC, nastyho...@gmail.com wrote:

> HalleluJah!!
>
> https://lichess.org/jfiGIg3sWwss

That is a version of Légall's Mate. I have rarely seen it done by Black.
You are right that Bg5 is a natural move but it is bad.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

It is not only bad, it is totally losing. I just checked Stockfish, and after 6.Bg5-Nxe4, there is no defense. When white takes the horse, white loses his queen. When the bishop returns to e3, the whole white kingside get's wiped out, including the rook.

White is left with a big material disadvantage, and black has several connected passed pawns on the king side.

White is lost. Also when he does not take the queen.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

That's why everybody has to study opening traps. Even if you don't like to play them, you got to know them just to make sure you don't fall victim to 'm.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

They keep on dropping like flies.

Another victim of the Stafford gambit, mate in 11:

https://lichess.org/GcEFSQR1ImCe

[Offramp]

Flaming Nora, as we say in London. If I had been White I would have figuratively swept the pieces from the board and sworn to give up chess forever.
This one reminded me of an old Marshall attack, with Black's queen and knight causing mayhem over at white's castled position.
If white's best move is really 5.h3 then this opening MUST be good for Black.

Who was Stafford, I wonder.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 8:12:53 PM UTC+2, Offramp wrote:
> On Sunday, 5 January 2020 17:32:18 UTC, nastyho...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Bs"d
> >
> > They keep on dropping like flies.
> >
> > Another victim of the Stafford gambit, mate in 11:
> >
> > https://lichess.org/GcEFSQR1ImCe
>
> Flaming Nora, as we say in London. If I had been White I would have figuratively swept the pieces from the board and sworn to give up chess forever.
> This one reminded me of an old Marshall attack, with Black's queen and knight causing mayhem over at white's castled position.

Bs"d

This one is better, I have a triple attack on f2, with queen, horse, and bishop. The double attack of horse and bishop on f2 drives the king into castling, and then a surprise comes, the queen joins in in the fun, and white is in big trouble.

The best white can do is give up the exchange when the horse comes on f2, but you don't see that often. Usually what happens is what you see in this game, the queen goes to f3, and when the horse goes away, white has a battery on f7 with queen, rook, and also a bishop in the mix.
The only problem for white is, he doesn't get time to actually use it. He'll be mate before that or he loses the queen. And even then his position is very bleak.

> If white's best move is really 5.h3 then this opening MUST be good for Black.

On our level it's a killer. There are many more traps in it. It is hard to sail around all the hidden cliffs.

> Who was Stafford, I wonder.

I guess some chess master. Can't find him in google.

But when I play the Petrov, of often transfers into the four knights, so I bought some books about that one. It is not so riddled with traps as the Stafford, but good preparation sure pays off.

Even if, like me, you can't play chess so well, if you just know your openings, you can often wreak havoc.

And that is so much fun.... :D

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Once you learned certain trapping motif, you can apply it totally different ways that you learned it.

Here is a trapping motif I so far only played with black in the Stafford gambit, and now I saw the same motif popping up while I played white.

It resulted in a game which was concluded on move 8.

https://lichess.org/6uT3icAJ6bmF

Miniatures are the best!

As long as you win them of course.

http://tiny.cc/elaborate-waste

[Offramp]

On Sunday, 12 January 2020 22:11:12 UTC, nastyho...@gmail.com wrote:
> Bs"d
>
> Once you learned certain trapping motif, you can apply it totally different ways that you learned it.
>
> Here is a trapping motif I so far only played with black in the Stafford gambit, and now I saw the same motif popping up while I played white.
>
> It resulted in a game which was concluded on move 8.
>
> https://lichess.org/6uT3icAJ6bmF
>
> Miniatures are the best!

That was a quick game. Nxc6 or c3, bxc6 or c3 lets the c-bishop straight into the game free of charge: no need to play P-Q3 (or P-Q4). It gives White a good lead in development.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

The opening I played is the Boden-Kieseritzky gambit. It has some traps in it, it is a sort of Stafford gambit for white. I made already quite a few victims with it, but this motif I never had before in this opening, because the opponent here played very unusual. First blundering away the pawn on d5, and then attacking the bishop on d5. If he would have played a normal developing move with his horse or with his kingside bishop, the trick would not have been possible, because then his queen would have been protected when his king would have taken my bishop on f7.

Anyway, I LOVE those miniatures!

http://tiny.cc/chess-happy
This is not the first time that a motif from a trap suddenly pops up in a totally different opening or position. It shows again the importance of studying opening traps.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

The Fishing Pole trap, who hasn't heard of it?

Well, my opponent I just played. Resigned on move 14. Checkmate in one was unavoidable.

But at least he could comfort himself with the fact that he was a horse ahead.

I gave him a horse, he lost his king.

Isn't chess great?!

https://lichess.org/AccKEePEYyrI


http://tiny.cc/sense-beauty

[Offramp]

On Monday, 13 January 2020 21:00:07 UTC, nastyho...@gmail.com wrote:
> Bs"d
>
> The Fishing Pole trap, who hasn't heard of it?
>
> Well, my opponent I just played. Resigned on move 14. Checkmate in one was unavoidable.

I am flabberghasted that he would take the bishop... He must have never see that stratagem before.

I have played it often as Black in the Caro Kann. Black plays c6 and d5, and often white plays Ng1-f3, allowing Bg4 - but before that I play Nf6, and after Nd4xNf6+ I recapture ...g7xf6. At some point I'll play ...Qc7, Nd7 and 0-0-0.
After ...Bg4 White often tries h3, and after ...h5 Black has a huge amount of attacking chances: along the KR and KN file and various other things.

Taking the bishop is a disaster, but people still play it.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

It's amazing how many people fall for traps. I would say that the most well known trap is the Blackburn-Shilling, but still, when I set it about 5 times, one will fall for it and be gutted, usually within 10 moves.

It is also amazing how many people refuse to study any theory. Of the Russians I play with in the park, almost nobody knows any theory. I tell them again and again that with just a very little bit of theory they will start playing MUCH better, but somehow they don't want to do it. So I keep on releasing my traps on them. They even fall for Legal's mate. One time I had a game there, it went: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nc3 Bg4 and then the opponent said jokingly: "You can take my pawn on e5!" Doing that might lead to the loss of a horse, so I just grumbled something and played h3. He did Bh5. At this point I asked him: "What did you say? Can I take you pawn on e5? OK, why not?" and I played Nxe5. His bishop dove upon my queen with the speed of a vulture diving upon a rotting carcass. I made a lot of upset noises about him taking my queen, the Russian kibitzers were laughing, and after everybody calmed down I proceeded to mate him in 2 moves. I love those shocked faces!

That's what you get if you don't want to learn theory.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nc3 Bg4
5. h3 Bh5 6. Nxe5 Bxd1 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8. Nd5#

http://tiny.cc/Karpov-queen-sac

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

The Stafford gambit hit again; mate in 8 moves after a queen sacrifice.

The crucial position came up through a slightly different move order, but it was the same position necessary for the trap anyway.

Miniatures are the best!

https://lichess.org/4rMV3U4S7gQv

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

So the guy wants a rematch. Who am I to deny him that, right? So we played again, and now I had white. Then he starts doing weird stuff, like the Damiano defense. So I sacrifice a horse on move 4, but he didn't manage to improve his record, he still didn't get past the 8 moves.

Maybe next time.

https://lichess.org/03W4WiDjc7WP

[Offramp]

How can that player possibly be rated "nader_2050 (1715)".
1715? He played like a beginner.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

That's how I like them. Not low rated, but playing like a patzer.

Chess should be easy and enjoyable.

https://tinyurl.com/leag-of-legends

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 10:15:20 AM UTC+2, Offramp wrote:

Bs"d

He played the Damiano defense, which is playable, but only if you know what you're doing.
It is a favorite of Sam Sloan. It's just that you can NEVER take the horse when it smacks in on e5. If you do, and the queen comes to h5+, then, if you play g6, you lose your castle in the corner, if you move the king you go mate in about 11 moves.

Taking the horse is just not an option. But like I said; a lot of people refuse to study theory.


http://tiny.cc/violent-sport

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Dear old Englund struck again. Yet another mate in 8 moves.

Isn't life great?

https://lichess.org/CqZiRgSOSIDo

http://tiny.cc/chess-is-war

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And less than an hour later another one decided to follow in the footsteps of the guy above who bit the dust in 8 moves.
So did Dinobryon, rated a solid 1777. Another mate in 8.

The game is almost totally identical to the previous one. :)

Miniatures rock!

http://tiny.cc/ruthless-kill

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

http://tiny.cc/live-long-Spock

[The Horny Goat]

On Fri, 17 Jan 2020 04:04:03 -0800 (PST), nastyho...@gmail.com
wrote:

You make it sound like you think high 1700s makes you a GM :)

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 5:25:38 AM UTC+2, The Horny Goat wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Jan 2020 04:04:03 -0800 (PST),

> wrote:
>
> >Bs"d
> >
> >And less than an hour later another one decided to follow in the footsteps of the guy above who bit the dust in 8 moves.
> >So did Dinobryon, rated a solid 1777. Another mate in 8.
> >
> >The game is almost totally identical to the previous one. :)
> >
> >Miniatures rock!
> >
> > http://tiny.cc/ruthless-kill
>
> You make it sound like you think high 1700s makes you a GM :)

Bs"d

Well, at least almost....

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And yet another one! They're dropping like flies!

https://lichess.org/SzC15iMI92Dc

http://tinyurl.com/chess-3-stages

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

OK guys, please tell me how often it happens to you that you have a game which is mated or resigned within 10 moves?

Please provide the links.

If you don't have any, then it is time to seriously start studying opening traps.

http://tinyurl.com/is-pawn-gloom

[Offramp]

You are becoming oddly aggressive.

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 6:46:34 PM UTC+2, Offramp wrote:
> You are becoming oddly aggressive.

Bs"d

Nobody is perfect.

OK, forget it. Don't study. Whatever suits your fancy.

Sorry for bringing the subject up.

http://tiny.cc/keepcalm

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

A Fried Liver against a 1758 in 10 moves.

https://lichess.org/5PRygwrzzhQ4

Thank God that there are so many people who refuse to study openings.

HalleluJah!!

http://tiny.cc/winning-isnt-everything

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Don't try this at home! I'm a trained professional.

http://tiny.cc/get-smarter-opp

(just kidding)

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And yet another mate in 8 in the Stafford gambit: https://lichess.org/JFiXNEHt2Ocs

The road to chess hell is paved with natural moves.

http://tiny.cc/problem-solve

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Followed by an 11 move miniature in the Stafford gambit.

https://lichess.org/XRsJ6CyD6nlr

Let's face it; chess is a GREAT game!

http://tiny.cc/chess-happy

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And an Englund gambit with mate in 8 moves: https://lichess.org/JEvOckl6on0y

https://tinyurl.com/leag-of-legends

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Boden-Kiezeritsky gambit, followed by a sort of Damiano defense by the opponent.

Unfortunately, he didn't now what he was doing, he took the horse which I sacrificed, and that's a no-no.

He didn't get past 9 moves.

https://lichess.org/2vWP68ipx4UV

http://tiny.cc/trappy

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

A decisive 10 move game is a miniature, right?

https://lichess.org/slNDzWAeK5pb



http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

A Boden-Kiezeritsky gambit, a kind of Stafford gambit for white.

https://lichess.org/OTLkYUDGMSK2

As usual you get the threefold attack against f7 or f2. Unfortunately, the opponent responded the right way, and sacrificed the exchange. I sacrificed a bishop, but I don't think that was correct, but thanks to help of the opponent, I could mate him quickly.

http://tiny.cc/sky-dive

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

A 1775 bit the dust in 10 moves with a Fried Liver.

Fried Livers rock!

https://lichess.org/pX9PJ6QzWpDA


http://tiny.cc/life-death

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And this is how the Boden-Kieseritzky gambit is supposed to go:

https://lichess.org/b6RdcDTM2zED

The opponent resigned on move 11, because mate on move 12 was unavoidable.

The natural move 5... d6 is horribly wrong and invites terrible retribution.

The way to chess hell is paved with natural moves.


http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

The Fried Liver is a powerful and devastating weapon. However, there are some antidotes for it.
Here we have an opponent who tried to play a Fried Liver against me. So I let him fork my queen and rook, moved away my queen, he took my rook, and I mated him on move 10. https://lichess.org/1TjxvsB3Ory8

The mating pattern is identical to the Blackburn-Shilling trap, and even as devastating. Only difference is the preliminaries. Here with the Fried Liver attempt there are more moves before the trap is sprung, so I only mated him on move 10 in stead of on move 7 which happens often in the Blackburn-Shilling.

But still a mate in 10 is also nice, especially when the opponent thought he had a nasty horse fork on me.

I really hated to have to suddenly disappoint the opponent who thought he was a rook ahead, but chess is war. And in love and war everything goes.

http://tiny.cc/ruthless-kill

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

I let a fried liver loose on MrPhysics.

https://lichess.org/GSFxeo1m8X0I

MrPhysics decided to resign on move 9. I don't think that was really necessary, but hey, I'm not gonna yell at my opponent if he wants to resign.

http://tiny.cc/enemy-mistake

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

An other mighty weapon against the Fried Liver is the Traxler counter attack.

I'm ashamed to say that many a time I bit the dust against this defense.

But I think I'm now getting the hang of it. This one who tried the Traxler against me bit the dust in 11 moves.

https://lichess.org/3vMZ3T9oUp90

http://tiny.cc/meaning-of-life

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

Another game of 11 moves in the Stafford gambit. https://lichess.org/IpN5WNDu1Iat

I again sacrificed my bishop, but I think this time the sacrifice was correct.

When the opponent told me:

ChickensCanFly Well I'd like to thank you for the game
ChickensCanFly Even though it lasted 11 moves

I could honestly answer him:

nastyhorsefork The pleasure was all mine.

http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

It's amazing how many people are not familiar with the Fishing Pole trap.

https://lichess.org/BrX00Jk4EhiW

You'd think that a 1753 should know better.


http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And especially a 1798 should know better then let himself be checkmated in one simple move: https://lichess.org/wyO96m34KH0X

Once you get the threefold attack on f2 or f7 you're in good shape. You are at least going to win an exchange. It is something to look out for.


http://tiny.cc/small-chance

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

An 1847 meets the Stafford gambit: https://lichess.org/wCjvJb0r4Yk7

On move 9 he lost his queen, on move 10 he resigned.

Like I said: There are many hidden cliffs in the Stafford gambit, and it is hard to avoid them all.


http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

This mate motive; https://lichess.org/AvGM8GwDsHcd which ended the game on move 13, I learned from CT-Art 3.0

The opponent never saw it coming.... :)

http://tiny.cc/mate-is-the-end

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And for a change here a Stafford gambit with a mate in 11 moves: https://lichess.org/9ajlMwtXq2W8

http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

In the above game, https://lichess.org/wCjvJb0r4Yk7 after the preliminaries of the Stafford gambit, on move 5 the opponent decided to attack my horse by pushing his e-pawn forward. So I put my horse forward on e4, and he had a horse right in his face. Nobody likes that, so almost always they will try to remove that horse from the middle of the board.
Regularly they try to do that by playing d3, attacking the horse on e4. And the howler is, that little natural innocent looking move d3, pushes white over the edge and he is lost. No matter how he responds, he's done for. If he takes the horse, like in the game, he loses his queen. If he protects against the double attack on f2 by putting his bishop on e3, he loses his castle on h1 and his king has to move, can't castle anymore, and I end up with two connected passed pawns.

There is no defense anymore after the natural and innocent looking move d3.

The road to chess hell is paved with natural moves.

http://tiny.cc/trap-filled

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

A 1774 resigns after 13 moves when confronted with a Fried Liver: https://lichess.org/lYhmEdewIeoE

But the battle was far from over. OK, it didn't look good for him, but that is no reason to resign.


http://tiny.cc/resign-grace

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

And here https://lichess.org/joKWd6IkvFMj we have another mate in 8, thanks to the good old Englund gambit.

http://tiny.cc/trappish

[nastyho...@gmail.com]

Bs"d

This game https://lichess.org/DoWYBPpUKelo , a Stafford gambit, was a bit more cumbersome, but I did get the threefold attack on f2. Unfortunately the opponent, an 1845, realized that his best bet was to sacrifice the exchange, so I didn't get a spectacular mate, but I was the exchange ahead, picked up a few pawns, and the opponent resigned.


http://tiny.cc/only-play-better