Home › Chess traps

The Blackburne Shilling Trap

Grabbing the f7 pawn leaves g2 and the king open to the queen and knight.

Opening: Italian Game. Set by Black. Level: Intermediate.

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Nf3#

It only works after a mistake

White must play Nxf7 for it to work. Black's ...Nd4 is a dubious move: after O-O or Nxd4 instead of Nxe5, White is better.

How to avoid it

Ng4 or Bxf7+ instead of Nxf7. Better still, avoid 4.Nxe5 and play O-O.

Practise setting and escaping it