There are a lot of strategies you can use to defeat your opponent in chess.You can try to get the upper hand by using some basic traps.Even if you cannot land a trap, you can put a lot of pressure on your opponent by positioning your pieces.Any opponent will have a hard time keeping up with you as long as you keep playing and practicing.Some of the traps in this article assume your opponent will follow logical moves, but they may do something different.You may have to change your strategy.
Step 1: You can use the Scholar's mate to checkmate your opponent.
Move your king's pawn to e4 to take control of the center.Your opponent will usually move a pawn to e5.If you want to put pressure on your opponent's pawn, you should take your bishop out from the back row and move it to c4.If you develop your queen to h5 you will be attacking the same pawn as your bishop.Your opponent will put pressure on your queen by moving their other knight to f6.The checkmate will be forced if you capture the pawn on f7 with your queen.Your opponent can't attack the queen with their king since you could capture it with your bishop in the next turn.If you are playing against an experienced player, they may use their queen or pawn to stop your attack.
Step 2: If you want to force an early checkmate, try the Legal Trap.
Your opponent will lose the entire game if they aren't careful, even though you'll lose your queen early.Your opponent will play a pawn to e5.Your opponent will mirror with a knight to c6.Your opponent can respond by moving a pawn to d6.Your other knight should be on c3.Your opponent is going to move their bishop.Their bishop should be forced back to h5.The pawn should be captured with your knight.Your opponent will take your queen.Put the pawn on f7 in your bishop's possession.The king will be moved to e7.Move your other knight to d5.
Step 3: The black queen can be captured using the Tennison Gambit.
It might not work with experienced players since they may recognize the trap and avoid capturing your pieces early on.The game begins when a pawn is moved to e4.Your opponent will move a pawn.It is tempting to capture your opponent's pawn on your second turn, but leave it alone or else your trap won't work.Place your knight on f3.Your opponent is going to capture your pawn.Move the knight to g5.Your opponent will most likely move a knight to f6 to protect the pawn.Let your opponent capture your queen's pawn by moving it to d3.Capture your opponent's pawn with a bishop.Your opponent will put a pawn on h6 in order to pressure your knight.Take the pawn with you.Your opponent will have a king.Put them in check by moving your bishop to g6.It gives you a chance to capture their queen with your bishop.
Step 4: If you want to force a checkmate, try the halosar trap.
If your opponent gets greedy and captures your pawns, this will work.You might have to try a different strategy if they don't attack your pawns early on.Let your opponent move a pawn to d5 if you want to start.Let your opponent capture your king's pawn by moving it to e4.Your opponent should move their knight to f6 if you play your knight out to c3.Move a pawn to f3 so your opponent can take it.Capture their pawn with your queen.The queen is usually moved to d4 to capture a pawn.Put pressure on their queen by moving your bishop to e3.They are going to move their queen to b4.The castle is on the king's side.Your opponent will usually move a bishop.Let your opponent capture your queen by moving your knight to b5.To force a checkmate, move your knight to c7.
Step 5: The king can be trapped with the Blackburne-Shilling Trap.
If your opponent is new, this works best.If your opponent opens with a pawn, respond by pawning the pawn to e5.Your opponent will move a knight.Bring your knight with you.Move their bishop to c4 and the same knight to d4.Your opponent will take the pawn.Go to g5 with your queen.Your opponent will use a pawn at f7 to put pressure on your queen.This trap will not work if your opponent doesn't capture your pawns.The pawn should be captured by your queen at g2.Your opponent will move it f1 to protect their rook.The knight is at e4.The opponent needs to move their bishop to protect their king.To force a checkmate, place your knight on f3.
Step 6: The Elephant Trap is when your opponent takes your knight and queen.
You will be in a better board position with more pieces if you use this trap.Move your pawn to d5 if your opponent starts with a pawn.Your opponent will move a pawn.Move your king's pawn to e6 in response.The knight should be moved to c3.You should develop your knight to f6.Your opponent will bring their bishop.In front of your queen, put your other knight on d7.Your opponent is going to capture on d5.Capture on d5 with your pawn.The pawn should be captured with your knight.The knight should be moved from f6 to d5.Your queen will be captured by their bishop.The bishop should be placed on b4.They will protect their king with their queen.
Step 7: You can force the England Trap by moving your queen early.
Your opponent can open with a pawn.Let them capture you if you put your pawn on e5.They will respond by moving their knight to f3.They can move their bishop to f4 if you bring your queen to e7.To put them in check, play your queen to b4.The bishop will be moved to protect the king.Capture the pawn on b2 with your queen, instead of capturing the bishop.They will move their bishop.You can respond with a bishop.Your opponent will usually move their queen to d2.Your bishop should be captured on c3.No matter how your opponent moves, you will be able to capture a few of their pieces or put them in checkmate.If they capture your bishop, you can move your queen to c1 and force checkmate.If they capture with their knight, you can win the game as well.
Step 8: To use the Fishing Pole Trap, bait your opponent with a knight.
Move your king's pawn to e5 when your opponent opens with a pawn.The knight will be moved to f3 in response.Bring your knight with you.They usually move their bishop to b5.If you want to avoid their attack, play your other knight out to f6.The opponent will protect their king.Go from f6 to g4.Your opponent will use a pawn to pressure your knight.Pawn to h5.They can capture your knight on g4.Capture with your pawn.The knight will be moved back to e1.Bring your queen out to h4 to put pressure on their king.
Step 9: If you position a piece, it will be able to attack 2 of your opponent's pieces.
If you have the knights, bishops, rooks, or queen, you should use this.Try to find a square where you can take 2 or more different pieces.This tactic won't work if your piece is at risk of getting attacked.Your opponent can move and save one of the pieces, but you will still be able to catch the other one.If you can, try to find a square that will allow you to target the king and queen at the same time.You will be able to capture the queen if your opponent moves their king.
Step 10: Put pins in your opponent's pieces.
The king and queen are behind the weaker pieces on the board.You can attack the weaker piece if you position a queen, bishop, or rook.Since you could attack the stronger piece behind it and gain a better board state, your opponent will not move the weaker piece.If you are lucky, your opponent will not notice you pinned them and you can capture a strong piece like a rook or queen.
Step 11: To force the capture of a weaker piece, create a skewer.
A skewer is the same as a pin, but the more powerful piece is in front of the weaker one.Your opponent will want to move the stronger piece out of the way to protect it, but you will be able to capture the weaker piece on your next turn.Make sure you capture on your turn if your opponent doesn't move the stronger piece on their turn.
Step 12: To make a discovered attack, clear a path.
A discovered attack is when one of your pieces is freed up to make an attack.If you notice that one of your pieces could make an attack but another is blocking it, move the piece in front of it to put pressure on your opponent.If you want to force your opponent to make a different move, this is the way to go.You should be careful that the piece you are attacking can't capture your piece.Since the queen can move in any direction, you can't really capture her with a discovered attack.A discover check is a type of discovered attack.The piece that was blocked will check the king in discovered checks.
Step 13: Put pressure on a piece that protects more than one square.
Since your opponent is protecting other pieces, overloading is a tactic.Move one of your pieces next to the piece that is defending multiple other pieces.Your opponent will have to fight back against your attack.Since there is still a lot of pieces on the board, more open space gives your opponent an opportunity to escape.
Step 14: If you want to protect another piece, force your opponent to move it.
Your opponent may place more important pieces in front of a weaker piece.They will be able to capture your piece if you capture the weaker piece.You can put pressure on the stronger piece by moving a different piece.You can attack the weaker piece if they move it.You will usually lose a piece using this tactic, but you will still have a pretty even playing field since you get to capture one in response.