The Scotch Game trap: the loose bishop on c5
In the Classical Variation of the Scotch Game, Black's bishop on c5 attacks White's knight on d4, and White defends it with 5.Be3. The bishop on c5 looks perfectly safe there. It is, but only while that knight stays on d4.
The line
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3.
The move: 5...Qf6
Black almost always plays 5...Qf6, adding a third attacker on d4. 5...Bb6, moving the bishop off the line, and trading on d4 with 5...Bxd4 or 5...Nxd4 are also fine.
The trap: 5...Nf6??
Developing the knight is natural, but it leaves the bishop on c5 unprotected, and only White's knight on d4 stands between it and the bishop on e3. 6.Nxc6! moves that knight out of the way with an attack on Black's queen. After 6...bxc6 7.Bxc5, White is a piece up.
The other recaptures don't help. 6...dxc6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bxc5 also loses the bishop, and 6...Bxe3 7.Nxd8 costs Black the queen.
In rated online games in our library, 7% of players who reached this position played 5...Nf6??
The idea to remember
A piece is only as safe as the thing shielding it. When an enemy piece blocks a line to one of yours, ask what happens if it moves, especially if it can move with a threat of its own.
Train it
This is one of the opening traps OptiChess teaches as a play-through: the moves play themselves until the moment you need to look closely, then you find the move. The habit behind it, asking what your opponent can do after your move, is the blunder check.
Read more
Try it. Real positions, set at your level, every answer checked against the board. No account needed to start.
Start trainingMore opening traps
- The Englund Gambit trap
- How to stop Scholar's Mate
- When Scholar's Mate fails
- The King's Gambit trap
- The Stafford Gambit trap
- Two Knights Defense, 4.Ng5 Nxe4
- The trapped knight on a5