TRAP ACADEMY
11 chess opening traps, move by move
Trap Academy in the Skillwik Chrome extension teaches 11 classic opening traps. Each page gives the full move list, what the trap wins, and how to avoid falling into it. Every line is replayed by an automated test, so the moves are correct.
| Trap | Opening | You play | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fool's Mate | Barnes Opening | Black | Checkmate on move 2. White weakened its own king with two pawn moves. |
| Scholar's Mate | King's Pawn Game | White | Checkmate on move 4. Black never guarded f7. |
| Légal's Mate | Philidor Defence | White | Checkmate on move 7, with a queen sacrificed on the way. |
| Fried Liver Attack | Two Knights Defence | White | A sharp attack. Engines call it roughly level, but it is hard for Black to defend over the board. |
| Englund Gambit Trap | Englund Gambit | Black | Checkmate on move 8. The pin on c3 did all the work. |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | Italian Game | Black | Smothered mate on move 7. |
| Fishing Pole Trap | Ruy Lopez, Berlin | Black | Checkmate on move 8. Even if White defends better, Black has a strong attack. |
| Lasker Trap | Albin Countergambit | Black | Black is winning on material and the white king is exposed. |
| Elephant Trap | Queen's Gambit Declined | Black | Black is a piece for a pawn up after all the trades. |
| Noah's Ark Trap | Ruy Lopez | Black | The bishop on b3 is trapped, and White will lose it for pawns. |
| Kieninger Trap | Budapest Gambit | Black | Checkmate on move 8, with a knight. |
Practise them in the extension
In Trap Academy you watch a guided lesson, then play the trap yourself against the replies of the trap. The first 3 traps are free. The extension also has 12 mate in two puzzles and 9 five-move mate challenges.
Add to Chrome — freeFrequently asked questions
What is a chess opening trap?
- An opening trap is an early move that looks natural but loses material or the game to a prepared reply. Learning the traps helps you win quickly when an opponent falls for one, and avoid them yourself.
Which opening traps does Trap Academy teach?
- Trap Academy teaches 11 traps: Fool's Mate, Scholar's Mate, Légal's Mate, Fried Liver Attack, Englund Gambit Trap, Blackburne Shilling Gambit, Fishing Pole Trap, Lasker Trap, Elephant Trap, Noah's Ark Trap, Kieninger Trap. Each lesson walks through the moves with a short explanation, then lets you practise the line yourself.
Are the lines checked?
- Yes. Every line is replayed move by move by an automated test using the chess.js rules library, and each claim such as checkmate or winning material is checked, so the lessons match the board.