An Opening Chess Trap with 2,399 Victims

Hi GP,
Thanks for writing the blog, you saved me having to think of moves in some games. You've got a superfluous "out" in the bit where you chop your ear off.

I realise you demonstrated the line you did to show that white's winning even if the black bishop's still on the board, so the win doesn't rely on white not falling into black's trap (otherwise Shirov wouldn't have resigned), but as long as it's with the knight Ivanchuck could have taken the bishop and kept the king trapped in the corner resulting in a slightly faster checkmate:


In the Schwartz - Schallopp game white's 11th move is Kd1, which you describe as forced in the note to move 10. Unless I've totally missed something 11. c3 is possible.

Hi DeepThought,

As I said I was making random moves to show the full extent of the winning idea.
I had no idea I had drifted into a quicker win allowing the Bishop to be taken.
Good spot although hopefully the main lesson will sink in. I'll leave it as is.

I took out the 'out' that was a rewrite from 'I'd poke an eye out before
I make that move.' That was a bit drastic. An ear yes, but not an eye.


If 11.c3 Bxc3+ looks very good. 11.Bd2 maybe a move but on 11...Bxd2+
White has to play 12. Kxd2. I figured 11.Kd1 was best (it's what I would have played.) because White does get to play Qg4 with a tempo and maybe Bh6
ideas though that is not on right away.

11. Kd1 0-0 12.Qg4 Bc4 13.Bh6 Qxe5!

@greenpawn34

Ah, I made the "He can't take that it's protected" blunder with c3. Happily on LiChess they miss the way I hang the family fork at 10+0, so against my normal opponents missing stuff like that wouldn't be a problem...