Ask Coach Jessica: A Trick for Black!

Hi ChessKids! Today I will answer UnknownRobin's question: "What are some good gambits and traps for Black to play?" Have you noticed how many cool tactics White has after playing 1.e4? Do you get annoyed seeing puzzles with only White to move? Well certainly Black can win, too. Raise your hand if you've ever won with Black...

Me too! Today I'll show you a nice little trap Black can try on White. Now the thing with opening traps, my friend, is that they only work if your opponent falls for them. Just like in the Scholar's Mate, it is NOT forced, and also NOT the best opening. It's just tricky. And if you like tricks, you'll like this one a lot. By, Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl).

Play starts normally, with 1. e4 e5 and 2. Nf3 Nc6. But after 3. Bc4, instead of Bc5, Black plays the unusual 3...Nd4!?

Strong players will immediately notice that this hangs the pawn on e5. Even stronger players, however, will ask why Black would want to move a piece twice in the opening (usually a no-no) and hang a pawn at that! Watch what happens if White greedily takes the pawn...(so, hey, don't take the pawn...castle! Then, no tricky tricks for Black.)

Do you see what the queen is forking here? At this point, White gets very excited when seeing the target square f7. Isn't that queen just going to get forked herself? But she's got her own rook to look to cook.

If White saves the rook with Rf1, you have a delightful smothered possibility - or you win a queen! The black queen wasn't just attacking the rook on h1, what else can she capture now?

BLACK WINS! Nice trick, Black. Now make sure you try it on your dad right away! (Mom will not fall for it.)