Legal–Saint-Brie
1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 d7-d6
This opening is called Philidor’s Defense. That’s right! The same Philidor who was Legal’s pupil!
3. Bf1-c4 Nb8-c6
4. Nb1-c3 Bc8-g4
See Diagram 157.
157
Until now both sides have played well. At this point, however, Legal touched the Knight on f3 and then quickly took his hand away, whereupon his opponent reminded him about the “touch-move” rule. The many onlookers confirmed that Legal had in fact touched the Knight and they too insisted that he move it. Legal agreed, but he said he wanted to think a bit more about where to move it, and finally he played:
5. Nf3xe5?!
The Chevalier Saint-Brie immediately snapped up the Queen, thinking that White was giving it up just like that.
5. ... Bg4xd1??
This is the move that White’s highly risky trap was based on. But if Black had thought the position over carefully, he would have realized that the Queen could not be taken but that the simple 5. ... Nxe5, on the other hand, would leave Black a piece up.
6. Bc4xf7 + Ke8-e7
7. Nc3xd5#
158
Nobody knows today whether Legal’s touching the Knight really was accidental or whether it was just a ploy calculated to catch an
inexperienced opponent in a pretty trap that Legal, although he knew it was unsound, was unable to resist playing.
Although the trap worked in this case, you would do well not to set such traps. Don’t forget, if Black had seen through the trap, he could have won a piece.
This mate became known as “Legal’s Mate”, and it has been repeated many times since then in a variety of forms.
of threats or traps even in the games of strong players. Here is an example.
Game 27
Cheron–Jeanlose, Leysin 1929
This game was played in a “simultaneous exhibition” — Andre Cheron, many times champion of France, was playing many games at the same time against different opponents.
1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6
3. Bf1-c4 d7-d6
4. Nb1-c3 Bc8-g4
The position in which Legal set an unsound trap with 5. Nxe5.
5. h2-h3!!
The temptation to follow Legal might be great, but logic is more important! However, the move 5. h2-h3 too sets a cunning trap.
5. ... Bg4-h5?
After 5. ... Bxf3 6. Qxf3 Nf6 (defending against 7. Qxf7#) 7. d3 White’s position would be better but it would still be a hard fight. See Diagram 159 for the position after 5. ... Bg4-h5?.
159
6. Nf3xe5!
Now this Legal-style Queen sacrifice is absolutely sound.
6. ... Bh5xd1??
Black should resign himself to the loss of a pawn by 6. ... Nxe5 7. Qxh5 Nxc4 8. Qb5 + c6 9. Qxc4 (or 6. ... dxe5 7. Qxh5).
7. Bc4xf7 + Ke8-e7
8. Nc3-d5#
See Diagram 160 for the final position.
160
sound. Even world champions are not averse to setting such traps!
You should make a study of both “good” and “bad” traps — the good ones so that you can use them, and the bad ones so that you can avoid them.
Let us now look at another very popular trap.
Game 28
Mullok–Kostic, Cologne 1912
1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6
3. Bf1-c4 Nc6-d4?!
See Diagram 161.
161
Black sets an unsound trap! White could now gain a development advantage over Black by playing 4. c3 Nxf3 + 5. Qxf3, while even the simple 4. d3 or 4. Nxd4 would give White the better game. Of course,
Grandmaster Kostic realized that 3. ... Nc6-d4?! was far from the best move, but he counted on his weak opponent being tempted by the pawn that Black leaves undefended.
4. Nf3xe5?
The first step toward disaster. The Black pawn on e5 was a “poisoned pawn.”
4. ... Qd8-g5!
See Diagram 162.
162
The Queen simultaneously attacks the Knight and the pawn on g2. White, however, can hardly believe his eyes and thinks, “How can a grandmaster make such blunders? I can take his pawn on f7 with my Knight and fork his Queen and Rook!”(“Fork” means to “simultaneously attack”).
5. Ne5xf7??
And this is the second and final step towards disaster. The trap has clapped shut! Why would 5. Ng4 be a bad move?
(Because of 5. ... d5, winning the Knight or the Bishop).
Qxe5 7. c3 followed by 8. d4. In return for his piece he would then have two pawns and chances of working up an attack against the Black King stranded in the center. In such cases White is said to have compensation for his lost piece.
5. ... Qg5xg2
6. Rh1-f1
If White played 6. Nxh8, how would Black reply?
(6. ... Qxh1 + 7. Bf1 Qxe4 + 8. Be2 Nxc2 + 9. Qxc2 and Black wins the Queen. If 9. Kf1, then 9. ... Qh1#).
6. ... Qg2xe4 +
7. Bc4-e2?
It’s better to lose the Queen by 7. Qe2 than to get mated.
7. ... Nd4-f3#
See Diagram 163.
163
White’s King is completely surrounded by its own men but none of them can help. Such a mate is called a “smothered mate.”
The trap in this game was pretty but unsound — it was based entirely on the presumption that the opponent would blunder.
How can you safeguard yourself from falling into a trap? Chess abounds in innumerable traps, so it is obviously impossible to memorize them all, but in spite of that strong players very rarely get taken in by them. The reason is that they follow the “major principles of piece development,” the very ones that you have studied in previous lessons.
The most important thing is to always play carefully and never capture enemy pawns and pieces (even the Queen) without first thinking it over and making sure there’s no trap.