Chess Openings: Traps And Zaps (Fireside Chess Library) [Paperback]

Bruce Pandolfini (Author)

Book Description

Series: Fireside Chess Library | Publication Date: April 15, 1989

Fireside Chess Library

In the first completely instructional book ever written on chess openings, National Master Bruce Pandolfini teaches players how to take charge of the game's crucial opening phase.

Of the three traditional phases of chess play -- the opening, the middle-game and the endgame -- the opening is the phase average players confront most often. Unfortunately, though, many openings are not completed successfully, partly because until now most opening instruction has consisted of tables of tournament level moves that offer no explanations for the reasons behind them. Consequently, these classical opening patterns can serve as little more than references to the average player.

In Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps, Bruce Pandolfini uses his unique "crime and punishment" approach to provide all the previously missing explanation, instruction, practical analyses, and much, much more. The book consists of 202 short "openers" typical of average players, arranged according to the classical opening variations and by level of difficulty. Each example includes:

* the name of the overriding tactic

* the name of the opening

* a scenario that sets up the tactic to be learned

* an interpretation that explains why the loser went wrong, how he could have avoided the trap, and what he should have done instead

* a review of important principles and useful guidelines to reinforce each lesson.

Also included are a glossary of openings that lists all the classical "textbook" variations for comparison and reference and a tactical index. Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps is a powerful, pragmatic entry into a heretofore remote area of chess theory that will have a profound influence on every player's game.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bruce Pandolfini is the author of eight instructional chess books, including Bobby Fischer's Outrageous Chess Moves, Principles of the New Chess, Pandolfini's Endgame Course, Russian Chess, The ABC's of Chess, Let's Play Chess, Kasparov's Winning Chess Tactics, and One-Move Chess by the Champions. He is also editor of the distinguished anthologies, The Best of Chess Life, Volumes I and II. Perhaps the most experienced chess teacher in North America, and the Executive Director of the Manhattan Chess Club, Bruce Pandolfini lives in New York City.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

CHAPTER 1

The Early d2-d4 Complex

Center Game

Danish Gambit

Goring Gambit

Scotch Gambit

Scotch Game

The openings of Chapter 1 are characterized by an early advance of White's d-pawn to d4, which pries open the center while also opening lines for rapid deployment of the pieces. For the developing student, this group of openings is an excellent training ground in tactics and active piece play.

In the Center Game (1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4) White contents himself with knocking out the e5-pawn, Black's foothold in the center. White then regains this pawn by capturing on d4 with his Queen. Such an early Queen move is theoretically a liability, and after 3....Nc6, White indeed must back the Queen out of the center, losing time. Despite this drawback, the Center Game offers White reasonably good chances, and Black must play energetically in midcourt to secure equality.

The Danish Gambit (1. e4 e5. 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2) is an entirely different kettle of fish. Here, White sacrifices two pawns to accelerate development. This is not a humble opening, and if White fails to generate sufficient attacking possibilities, he will will simply be two pawns down with no compensation. Black, lacking development, must defend carefully. Rather than clinging too greedily to his extra pawns, he should return one or both of them to mobilize his forces. Otherwise, White's attack becomes irresistible.

The Goring Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3) is closely related to the Danish Gambit, with the accent again on expeditious development. Here, White generally restricts himself to sacrificing only one pawn, thus minimizing much of the risk entailed in the Danish. Black, in theory, ought to be able to grab the pawn and endure White's attack. In practice, however, it's not so easy to keep White off his back.

The Scotch Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4) resembles the Goring Gambit, with the sacrifice of a single pawn for speedy development. Exactly what constitutes a Scotch Gambit is not so clear to the casual player. In practice, this opening almost always transposes into other openings: Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack, Giuoco Piano, and even the Goring Gambit. It is often perceived as a transitional opening leading to a complex of related openings. One might play it to disguise one's true intentions.

The Scotch Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4) is White's attempt to enjoy the benefits of the Center Game without incurring its disadvantage: the premature exposure of White's Queen. With a pawn on e4 and a Knight on d4, White has the makings of a powerfully centralized game, and Black must conscientiously combine development and counterattack before White consolidates these assests into a concrete, permanent advantage. In theory, Black can pound away at squares e4 and d4, shaking White's grip on the center and ultimately achieving the freeing advance of his Queen-pawn from d7 to d5. This spirited thrust will allow Black to enter the middlegame on an even keel.

1

IN-BETWEEN MOVE

Center Game

1. e4 e5

2. d4 exd4

3. Qxd4 Nf6

4. Bg5 Be7

5. e5?

Scenario: White wants to attack the f6-Knight, but he overlooked 5....Nc6, assailing White's Queen and e-pawn. There are three safe squares for the Queen that also defend the pawn: c3, e3, and f4. If 6. Qc3, then 6....Bb4 pins White's Queen to its King. If 6. Qe3, then 6....Ng4 7. Qe4 (or 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Qe4 Ngxe5) 7....Ngxe5 gains the e5-pawn. And if 6. Qf4, then 6....Nh5 7. Qf3 (or 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 wins the e-pawn next move) 7....Bxg5 8. Qxh5 Bc1 9.Nd2 Bxb2 10. Rb1 Bxe5 puts Black two pawns ahead.

Interpretation: White's second move, d2-d4, is designed to take control of the center, but the plan could backfire. White's Queen can be sucked into the central zone prematurely, after which it is subject to harassment from Black's developing army. Instead of the unprepared advance 5.e5, White should have brought out his b1-Knight, defending his e4-pawn. Afterward, he may be able to castle Queenside. Don't start attacking if you can't follow through with muscle. First build your game by rapid development. Then feast on your opponent's targets and weaknesses. Moreover, don't rely too much on the Queen. Before bringing it out, develop a couple of minor pieces.

2

PIN

Center Game

1. e4 e5

2. d4 exd4

3. Qxd4 Nc6

4. Qa4 Nf6

5. Nc3 d5

6. Bg5 dxe4

7. Nxe4 Qe7

8. 0-0-0 Qxe4

Scenario: Black's Queen seems protected by his f6-Knight, but not forever. White disrupts with 9. Rd8+!. Black's c6-Knight can't take White's Rook because it's pinned to Black's King by White's Queen. If 9....Kxd8 (or 9....Ke7 10. Qxe4+) 10. Qxe4, then Black's f6-Knight, now in a pin, cannot take the Queen back. Black says goodbye to his Queen.

Interpretation: If your King is still uncastled, avoid opening the center, giving your opponent some access to your fettered monarch. And at the very least, don't initiate risky captures that aid the enemy's attack. Black gauged that his Queen was adequately guarded by the f6-Knight after 8....Qxe4, but he neglected to consider what White's Rook check could do. Before inaugurating a combination or sequence of moves, try to evaluate the consequences of all your opponent's reasonable checks. They could force you to change your plans completely.

3

IN-BETWEEN MOVE

Center Game

1. e4 e5

2. d4 exd4

3. Qxd4 Nc6

4. Qe3 g6

5. Nc3 Bg7

6. Nd5 Nge7

7. Ne2 d6

8. Bd2 Bxb2

9. Bc3 Bxa1

Scenario: Black probably expects White to take his dark-square Bishop, which has grabbed White's Rook, but life isn't always tit for tat. Rather than capture on a1, White's rude Knight intercedes with a check, 10. Nf6+. After the obligatory 10....Kf8, White ends Black's torment with 11. Qh6 mate.

Interpretation: When you've flanked your King's Bishop, you probably can't exchange it away without incurring Kingside weaknesses. Especially vulnerable are the squares traveled by the Bishop -- for Black, the dark squares. The f6 and h6 squares are already weakened here by the g7-pawn's early advance. Once Black's dark-square Bishop also is shut out, those squares become indefensible. That's why it's prudent to think hard before exchanging the flanked King's Bishop, even if it wins a pawn. If you can get away with it, fine; but here, White actually wins by exploiting the undefended f6 with a Knight and also the abandoned h6 with his Queen. Be chary about early, impulsive pawn moves since they usually bring on enemy attack. As Marcus Aurelius put it, "What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee."

4

MATING ATTACK

Center Game

1. e4 e5

2. d4 exd4

3. Qxd4 Nc6

4. Qe3 Bb4+

5. c3 Ba5

6. Bc4 Nge7

7. Qg3 0-0

8. h4 Ng6

Scenario: Black has castled into a furious assault. No prisoners are taken after 9. h5, driving away Black's Kingside shelter. If the g6Knight flees to e7, then 10. Bh6 capitalizes on a debilitating pin. So Black continues 9....Nge5, when 10. Bg5! pushes Black's Queen to a meaningless square, 10....Qe8, making it impossible for that piece to lend defense from f6. And here came more surprises, for 11. Bf6 g6 12. hxg6 Nxg6 is refuted by 13. Qxg6+! hxg6 14. Rh8 mate.

Interpretation: Black's troubles were manifold. Though tactically the early b4-Bishop check works out fine, it weakens Black's Kingside, especially the square g7. In the final position, White's dark-square Bishop runs roughshod over g7 and h8, made possible by Black's aloof dark-square Bishop placement. The King-Knight's defensive abilities are also not so good from square e7. It would have been more enterprising to develop this piece to f6. Black, too, castles into a powerful attack force spearheaded by the h-pawn. Moving it up, White introduces his h1-Rook with deadly effect. Near the end, White's c4-Bishop holds the key, for it pins Black's f7 pawn, preventing it from capturing on g6. It's amazing that Black lasts even fourteen moves.

5

FORK

Center Game

1. e4 e5

2. d4 exd4

3. Oxd4 Nc6

4. Qe3 Nf6

5. Bc4 Ne5

6. Bb3 Bb4+

7. c3 Bc5

8. Qg3?

Scenario: Black lays a trap, and White falls into it. White's Queen is history after 8....Bxf2+!, forking White's King and Queen. No matter what White answers, his Queen goes: (A) 9.Qxf2 Nd3+, Knight-forking White's King and Queen; (B) 9. Kxf2 Nxe4+, again Knight-forking White's royal pair.

Interpretation: White bought a couple of bad raps here. First, he should have answered Black's fourth-move b4-Bishop check by 5. Bd2. It's usual to respond to a premature check by the KingBishop by blocking with a pawn. That compels the Bishop to move again to save itself, which causes your opponent to waste a turn. So White naturally responded with 7.c2-c3. This mechanical move weakened the d3 square, leaving it without pawn protection. In one of the winning lines, Black's e5-Knight exploits this square. White could have avoided loss of his Queen even after that, however, for there was no need to play 8.Qe3-g3. The simple retreat 4. Qe3-e2 would have averted disaster. One might play White's final blunder, 8. Qe3-g3, because it is natural to move the Queen aggressively, since its great power is always uppermost in the mind. But in the opening, the Queen's value actually makes it a liability. Bring it out early and your opponent can attack it and force you to waste time saving it. Don't develop the Queen early without a good reason.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (April 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671656902
• ISBN-13: 978-0671656904
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars TRAPS AND OPENING TACTICS!!! Great way to not only improve your openings, but a great way to improve your tactics., September 8, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chess Openings: Traps And Zaps (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

The idea of chess traps books is absolutely great!!! You don't want to memorize a bunch of traps, you don't want to make "inferior" moves to set up a trap only to find your opponent sees through it and you end up with a rotten sitiuation. But learning tactics by seeing what is going on "before" the tactical trap and being able to avoid them and be able to execute them, as "sound" tactics considering both the tactics and positional situation is important.
Now you ask: why then just two stars for this book? Why does'n't this book tell you about the moves before the trap? It is limited to just one trap per page by design. And, the learning of the openings, explaining the ideas behind the opening moves is just not covered, when it could be. I would like my book to not just give a bunch of moves, then boom... a trap!!! - following a move with a ?? (but what should have been played? - simply not covered most of the time). This book lacks detail when it could have that. So, make each trap two pages! What a much better book that would be.
Also, this book is just plaged with errors in analysis and typos. To point just how fast it starts look at DIAGRAM 1. I was asking where the Black Knight on "f6" went - it disapeared from the board!! There should be a Knight on "f6" - how could a typo starting with the first diagram be missed? Then that leads you to wonder about the rest of the book.
I just got this book and now wonder: is there a book on chess traps that is well rounded as far as the openings it covers, explains the ideas behind moves before the traps, and is accurate? This one misses in all of these respects.

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Two Book Series to Get all of the Opening Covered (lacks detail), November 28, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chess Openings: Traps And Zaps (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

I just discovered you need to buy both "Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps" both number one and two to get all of the traps in both 1e4 and 1d4 openings covered. Then I found almost nothing is said about the moves before the trap, most often not where the blundering player went wrong, and even worse, what should have been done!
I think a book on traps should show cover the moves from the beinning to the end of the trap! That is telling you where someone went wrong and then what was correct in its place.
Another problem is lets say a trap happens on move 7 and then all of the same moves are used but the trap then happens on move 12, an entire page is taken up for each. Why not show within one or two pages both? It just uses up more space that is paid for with paper.
The only book I have found that takes my suggestions is "Winning Chess Traps for Juniors". It only has 64 traps shown, but has hundreds of traps when you add the traps on the side variations shown, and is all in one book instead of taking up two books.
I have bought all of the Opening Chess Traps Books. I also like "101 Opening Traps" to get a lot of 1 d4 openings not covered in any of the other books (so if you are a 1 d4 player then I also reocmment this trap book even if it doesn't cover ideas before the actual trap like I have suggested).
Learning Openings should be done by understanding the ideas behind the moves. Not set up "cheap traps", not "memorizing" moves. So books on traps should serve four purposes,

1. Learn the tactics in the openings you want to play.
2. Learn tactics and see how they are set up and used in the first place.
3. Learn when you can use a trap.
4. Learn when to avoid a trap.

Actually, to get it all, you should still actually get this book even though I just give it two stars along with it's "More" book and "Winning Chess Traps for Juniors" and, "101 Opening traps". If for anything, every book on traps if FUN to go over!

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Still looking for a really good book on opening traps, September 5, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Chess Openings: Traps And Zaps (Fireside Chess Library) (Paperback)

Something is really lacking out there. A good book that covers in detail the ideas behind the most important themes found in chess traps. A book with a good number of diagrams that uses learning the opening with good quality accurate analysis.
This book, though ok, doesn't fit the bill - nor as of this date have I found such a book (Chernev's Winning Chess Traps is outdated and has limited explanations and lots of mistakes).
Pandolfini's attempt to fill the void here has mostly failed. Not enough explanation along with this being more of "here is the positions and solve it". You can get that from many simple tactics books.
However, nontheless this book does have its good points. It provides practical trap problems that occur in real games - a few forgivable inaccuracies and typos - but that is ok!