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Trap library / Fishing Pole Trap
Ruy Lopez · Black sets it

Fishing Pole Trap

Black leaves a knight hanging on g4. Take it, and the h-file opens straight onto your king.

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The trap

How the Fishing Pole Trap works

The Fishing Pole Trap is a sneaky idea for Black in the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Ng4). After 5.h3 h5! the knight on g4 is offered as bait. If White takes it with 6.hxg4??, the h-file opens and Black's queen and rook deliver mate on h1.

How not to fall for it

  1. Don't push the h-pawn when the knight lands on g4. h3 is the first mistake.
  2. Your king hides behind f2, g2 and h2. Keep them home and keep developing.
  3. If the knight is left hanging after …h5, don't take it. The open h-file is worth more than a knight.
  4. As Black it is a cheeky blitz trick. It only works if they bite, so don't count on it.