Lessons
Every Opening Trap To Crush Your Opponent

Every Opening Trap To Crush Your Opponent

GMBenjaminFinegold
GM Ben Finegold
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Do you want to crush your opponents early in the game? GM Ben Finegold will teach you the ideas behind every opening trap you'll want to know on both sides of the board. Now with more traps! Stay tuned.! More traps coming son!

  • Learn how to sacrifice material in order to win it back with interest.
  • Find forks to win material. 
  • Use versions of the fools mate and smothered mate to score quick wins.
  • Surprise your opponent with an early pawn promotion.
  • Checkmate with Legal's Mate to shock your opponent.

A Deadly Bishop Sacrifice: Every Opening Trap

In many openings, a bishop on the g1-a7 diagonal or the a2-g8 diagonal can sacrifice itself to start a blistering attack or to win material. GM Ben Finegold will show you the details.
7 min
5 Challenges

Forks In The Center: Every Opening Trap

When your opponent puts his or her pieces in the center, it can be scary, but it can also be an opportunity to win material. GM Ben Finegold will show you the way.
7 min
5 Challenges

Fool's Mate Tricks: Every Opening Trap

Not only fools fall for Fools Mate ideas. GM Ben Finegold will show you how to target the opponent's king from the very first moves of the game.
7 min
5 Challenges

Surprising Promotions: Every Opening Trap

If you thought that pawns were only promoted in the endgame, you're in for a surprise. Check out GM Ben Finegold's review of pawn promotions right out of the opening.
9 min
5 Challenges

Legal's Mate: Every Opening Trap

Legal's mate is one of the most famous and oldest opening traps in all of chess. GM Ben Finegold demonstrates this chess classic trap and its newer variations.
9 min
5 Challenges

Noah's Ark Trap: Every Opening Trap

As you can guess from the name, the Noah's Ark Trap is an old trick. Black builds an ark of pawns to catch a thoughtless bishop. GM Ben Finegold brings you the story.
10 min
5 Challenges

Smothered Mate: Every Opening Trap

Smothered mate is one of the most beautiful tactics in chess. Check out GM Ben Finegold's favorite opening trap!
12 min
5 Challenges

The Siberian Trap: Every Opening Trap

The Siberian Trap is popular in the Sicilian and Queen's Gambit and frequently leads to a quick checkmate. GM Ben Finegold demonstrates how to score a knockout right in the opening.
10 min
5 Challenges

Queen Forks: Every Opening Trap

How do high rated players lose a knight or bishop in the first few moves of the game? GM Ben Finegold shows you the sort of queen forks that are easy to miss.
9 min
5 Challenges

A Killer Knight Sacrifice: Every Opening Trap

How can you sacrifice a knight to draw out an opposing king? GM Ben Finegold shows you the famous attacking idea behind the Fried Liver and other aggressive openings.
10 min
5 Challenges

Disaster On The e-File: Every Opening Trap

Remember that your king starts on the e-file, so it's for players to get in immediate trouble with tactical ideas against the king. GM Ben Finegold demonstrates how this sort of trap has even caught future world champions.
13 min
5 Challenges

Never Play f6: Every Opening Trap

"Never play f6" is one of GM Ben Finegold's favorite pieces of chess advice. Find out why.
12 min
5 Challenges

Fishing Pole: Every Opening Trap

GM Ben Finegold's a vegan, but he still enjoys the fishing pole trap! Learn how to get your opponents to take the bait and then how to reel them in.
11 min
5 Challenges

When Pins Don't Work: Every Opening Trap

Pins are a useful tactic, but when they're not absolute, it's possible for them to backfire. GM Ben Finegold shows you how to get out of pins and win material.
9 min
5 Challenges

Greedy Queens: Every Opening Trap

Often there's an opportunity to capture a pawn with your queen early in the game, but it's not always a good idea. GM Ben Finegold demonstrates what to watch out for to make sure you don't run into an opening disaster.
11 min
5 Challenges

Poisoned Pawns: Every Opening Trap

If someone develops the queenside bishop early on, it's often possible to attack their b-pawn and aim to win it. Is it a good idea? GM Ben Finegold is back to let you know what to watch for when you're hungry for a possibly poisoned pawn.
10 min
5 Challenges

Every Opening Trap To Crush Your Opponent

Openings
16 Lessons
156 Minutes
80 Challenges
Released August 24, 2021

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