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The Noah's Ark Trap

The bishop on b3 gets trapped by a chain of pawns, like the ark.

Opening: Ruy Lopez. Set by Black. Level: Intermediate.

Practise setting and escaping it

The moves

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5 9.Qd5 Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 11.Qd5 c4

The mistake: White plays Qxd4 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4)

It only works after a mistake

White must play Qxd4 for it to work. Black's moves are all normal; White falls into it only by grabbing on d4 with the queen.

Final position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5 9.Qd5 Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 11.Qd5 c4

How to avoid it

Bd5 or c3 instead of taking with the queen.

Practise setting and escaping it