The Opening Trap no one should ever try...

Submitted by Scarian on Sun, 06/29/2008 at 4:22pm.

Recently, I have faced a lot of opponents attempting the same old trap:

To be honest, I'm tired of it. I even face players on the correspondence section of this site playing it. People need to realise that opening traps such as the above are one of the first few things players learn. No one above 1200+ falls for them and no one past the beginner stage should play them.

Not only is it easily defendable, it's just really annoying.

I'm a club player, I have played thousands of games of chess and I don't want to see any more opening traps, I don't want to see any more "Scholar's Mate" or "Fool's Mate" and I especially do not want to see a Queen out that early.

I just want to play chess. Good chess. Chess with my opponents knowing what an opening book is. Chess with my opponents knowing that the Sicilian Defense involves white playing an eventual d4, not d3:

I no longer wish to see 1400+ players opening with misguided attempts at the "glorious" 3 move mate.

I live for the day when 3 move mates will be banned. If they can ban draw offers in top tournaments surely that can ban those moves? I'd be ever so grateful.

Finally, as a note to anyone who plays the above: learn some opening theory! Learn the ideas behind openings; moving your Queen to f3 immediately will cramp up your position as your Knight won't be able to go to its natural developing square aimed at the centre. You also waste tempo by bringing your Queen out when you can be pushing and aiming your minor pieces towards the centre four squares (the most important squares on the board, in the opening at least). Please be aware of these things.

Usually when you're playing on a correspondence chess site, you're going to meet players who know openings, and have played chess for many years, they'll be ready and waiting for your "magical" Qf3!! with open arms.

Just learn a more interesting opening, please?

Thank you.

(Have any of you trap openers actually looked at the percentage of players who fall for your 3 mate openings?!)

» posted in Scarian's Blog

| 174 reads | 9 comments

Comments:

by lostapiece - 2 months ago
tamworth,capital of mercia England

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 3209

why bother banning them whwn they are so easy to refute??

by Xyo - 3 months ago
United States

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 20

Maybe it's because when I play chess I like to play more than I like to win. Blunders ruin the game for me, whether they're my opponent's or mine : /

by angelor - 4 months ago
chicago United States

Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 65

my queen comes early all the time It is my style of play.I guess you wont be challenging me!I like a wide game and sometimes it entails the three moves you speak of It is not meant to annoy you.If everybody played the way you wanted them too what kinda fun would that be?

by thomlane - 4 months ago
Tucson United States

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 28

Hi Scarian,

I am a middle 1400's player and have played many games but studied very little and remember less. I have come up against trap attacks fairly regularly since beginning to play on chess.com last month, at first got in a lot of trouble, now I have developed a fairly reliable defense and usually end with an advantage... is there someplace where these very familiar tricks and the best defenses are described, I'd like to be able to meet them with as much disdain as you do!

Best regards, Thom

by uuffoo - 4 months ago
Lisbon Portugal

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 67

I have loved read all this things...but my english is not good enough to write here...Congratulations to all...!!!

by justinoz08 - 4 months ago
Melbourne Australia

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 35

It works when you are drunk, so therefore it should be banned!

Well actually it doesnt matter that much does it, so long as you don't take your rating too seriously on this site. Mine incorporates drunk, tired and stupid play. You have to enjoy yourself sometimes.

by Scarian - 4 months ago
United Kingdom

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 9

1) Yoshtodd: I understand that and agree that they will learn. It still doesn't remove the irritation. :-)

2) Carpediem: I was referring to the amount of wins via the afforementioned attack and only the afforementioned attack. You appear to have misunderstood me. :-)

I used this post to make a personal statement of my opinion, it was not actually an objective analysis, so please don't treat it as such, guys. :-)

Thanks.

by carpediem - 4 months ago
Salmiya Kuwait

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 43

I agree with yoshtodd. Furthermore, your statement in parenthesis doesn't rule out that there may be a number of wins using this approach. So how can it be improper if it leads to a win?

by yoshtodd - 4 months ago
Hawaii United States

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 127

Why get so upset about it? If they are truly new and clueless you should be able to punish them with a quick win. Free, easy win for you, but why not just limit your opponents by rating if you're tired of careless play? If they are serious about getting better, they will realize on their own that stronger players deflect the easy trap and then take advantage of the queen's vulnerable and restrictive placement.

No matter how lame your opponent plays in the opening, you still have to push home the win and that can be instructive. I just think its kind of funny you want poor moves banned, won't they just disappear of themselves as the players who use them get stomped? Natural selection!

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