Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Trap Uncovered

When someone talks about a trap, we immediately think of a mechanism or cage with which to capture an animal by surprise. Also, an important element in the trap is the bait.

Once the trap is ready, one only needs to wait until the prey falls into it. There are traps that people set up and leave alone in the forest. After some days they only need to walk around and see whether the trap properly worked.

As you see, there is no special action from the hunter except to wait.

That is not the case in chess because if the player wants to succeed, he/she needs to take some action. Especially, he/she needs to be aware of the opponent’s moves.

Today’s game is a good example where Anand, playing White, evaluated properly the position, wasn’t scared of his opponent’s threat, and even was able to set up a trap. Unfortunately for him, his opponent didn’t fall into it.

The following position appeared in the game Anand-Vitiugov, played in round 10 of the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Masters, 2020. Anand has just played 14.Nc3 with the intention of trading some pieces on d5.

Chess is not a game of waiting like fishing. The player needs to make things happen.

Also important is to be persistent and not get discouraged if your opponent sees your intentions. Keep looking for new chances!

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