Chess Opening: Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defense: Tarrasch's Trap

[MetalSwitch95]

What happens if Black takes the Queen with the Bishop instead of a rook?

[slahblah]

Nice video, but I want to mention that GM Roman Dzindzichashvili says it's good for black after 5. Qxd4.  Continuation would go 5...Ne7 6. Bg5 a6 7. Bxc6+ Nxc6 8. Qd2 Be7 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 and position is equal. You can check his video out under "GM Dzindzichashvili - Ruy Lopez"

[GreenCastleBlock]

@slahblah Dzindi says a lot of things. Could you give a full move order please? I'll take a look at it.

[dashwood123]

Nice video, but like all chess instruction it falls way short of the mark as it does not explain to the novice how to use a "small space advantage" if black plays 4.... exd4? What happens after that, how does white take advantage?

Unless you can show or explain why a small space advantage is so important, there is no point in mentioning it.

[GreenCastleBlock]

@dashwood123 What "mark"? Do you want to learn everything about chess from a 10 minute video? This video is about one specific topic, the tactical line, of course there are other options for both players and there is no way to fully explain those positions and stay on topic. But other options should be mentioned so that the viewer understands the entire line is not forced. I disagree with your premise that it is not ok to mention lines that aren't shown. Your expectations are unreasonable.

[dashwood123]

@GreenCastleBlock No, I do not expect to learn everything from a 10 minute video. If you make a comment, it would be nice if you backed it up with a line or two to demonstrate, that is all I am saying.

[GreenCastleBlock]

@dashwood123 That would be nice but I have severe trouble making these videos under the time limit, believe me there are several things I want to show but cannot, it is hard to decide what to put in sometimes

[master0rose]

@dashwood123 its quite common sense ... its called a space advantage because you have more space to move your pieces

[QuakePhil]

Nice video. I like the birds chirping in the background? I just wanted to mention at 4:03 there is also 10. .. Bxd8, and then after 11. Nxe5, black's 11. .. Bxe4 is out of the question entirely as there's always Rxe4 with no back-rank mates. I also wanted to point out that black castles does lose a pawn, but black need can still opt out of losing a piece up until 11. .. Bxe4, which is the real howler. For example, 11. .. Bd7 is probably draw, or maybe something ambitious like 11. .. Bb4

[GreenCastleBlock]

@QuakePhil I disagree with your assessment of that pawn-down queenless middlegame as a draw, but you are correct that Black doesn't have to lose a piece. Thanks for viewing.

[QuakePhil]

@GreenCastleBlock well, there's chances to draw, but I was incorrect to say it was probably draw. My point was that the tarrasch trap starts at move 12, and not before. Again great video, and I look forward to viewing the rest of them :)

[octopuscollective]

good video. enjoyable study.

[koshka666]

rock d8 to d7 to avoid the fork by bishop

[saltyseaweed]

@koshka666

Bishop will come anyway, and if rook takes, then white rook retakes and black loses a rook for a bishop. If rook doesn't take, Bishop still forks rook on f8 or the knight.

[jakepremo]

at 2:41 after white castles, on move 6. is there a reason black shouldn't capture Nxd4?

[Pitereczek100]

U shoud try domino guys

[Robotman42]

One thing - can White play the Ke2 variation if Black recaptures Raxd8?

[Robotman42]

A very long calculation!

[GenericPurpleTurtle]

That's ridiculously specific, but good ^^

[bigmit37]

What program is he using to manipulate the chessboard like that?

[mainkx]

cool video

[bigshot1973]

if black plays Rd7 at 5:18 white replies with Be7, forking rook and knight...simple no?

[pinkyfrogs23]

Very Impressive?

[s1k2y3e4]

Just starting to learn.Very informative.Thank you

[elvenchamp]

at 5:18, why can't black play Rd7

[GreenCastleBlock]

Be7

[siddharthp1983]

White will still play Be7. Then Rxe7 Rxe7 and white goes up the exchange. White's two rooks will have a significant endgame advantage over Black's rook and knight.

The point of this fork is that black goes down an exchange (loses a rook for a bishop) no matter what move he plays. White then has a winning endgame.

[Democrat93]

THEY WILL TAKE UR QUEEN!!!!!

[sweetvelvet307]

great strat :)

thanks for sharing it !

[SpyFlame]

i watch the video and its very very very awsome,you earn a 5 star and a place for my favorites!:)

[3markymark319]

what chess program do you use?

i really want to find a good one thats free of download.

[greghh2223]

Nice, clear explanation. Thanks.

[solvman]

what about

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Bd7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 O-O 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Qxd8 Bxd8

[sirinial88]

if Black plays 10. ...Bxd8, White plays 11. Cxe5 and is a pawn up ; Black can't take back the e4 pawn as there is no rook on d8 to checkmate on d1 after 11. ...Fxe4? 12.Cxe4 Cxe4 13.Txe4

[sirinial88]

And I forgot to write, this is a very good and interesting video, very good work. Thanks you for sharing such ideas in openings

[tamirbssb]

ey man i dont wanna sound geek but i just began learning this game n i gotta say what u do is extremely cool. tnx

[lazy1peasant]

wait a minute...after 4...Nf6 white has 5.dxe5 and is just up a pawn.

[GreenCastleBlock]

Full move order or time please. I assume you mean 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Nf6? 5.dxe5 Nxe4 6.Qd5. Yes White can win a pawn here, Black gets some activity as compensation but it's not enough. The point was, 4...Nf6 is wrong.

[mendoncacorreia]

Forgive me, but... this is not the "Tarrasch trap"! That is in Tarrasch vs Zukertort, Dresden 1887, and Tarrasch vs Gunsberg, Manchester 1890.

This is the "Dresden trap", the largest opening trap there is, so large that someone called it "the Everest of traps" (!!!) - an amazing demonstration of Tarrasch's analytical habilities...

[GreenCastleBlock]

Hmmm. Interesting. I have only heard of this as the Tarrasch Trap, which makes sense to me because he played it multiple times.

[mendoncacorreia]

The same equivocation appears in the 'Chess Games' site; but check out, for instance, Fred Reinfeld's classic "Tarrasch's Best Games of Chess", New York 1947, games #16 (for the 'Tarrasch Trap') and #21 (for the 'Dresden Trap').

Of course, this is of minor importance here. What is really important is to understand the idea behind the trap; and you are worthy of the greatest praise for teaching that here. Congratulations!

[knightforked]

Hi Matt, these are really nice videos...very instructional.

[hakerof10]

awsome video but next time try to move to pieces slower

[jackass1234R]

if i was black i would have eaten the queen with c6xd4

[GreenCastleBlock]

Not legally you wouldn't. The knight is pinned to the king by the bishop on b5. Only after ...Bd7 is played breaking the pin does White need to worry about the queen.

[icyfire011]

same...

[Filo011]

just wandering which chess program are you using?

[BenBlunt1]

My brain is a chess program ...

[chessisthegame]

what hapen when the bishop thake the queen?? at 7e to 8d

[GreenCastleBlock]

Without a rook on d8 White doesn't need to worry about back rank mate so he just wins a clear pawn.

[idlenessss]

Its worth noting that the exact same position could conceivably be reach from other openings as well, especially the philidor. And tactics similar to this, but not exactly the same, are quite common whenever black tries to hold an e6,d5 structure against d4 e4

[hovtakeover]

before the bishop pins the rook and knight rook to d7 culdve blocked it

[Carabin33fr]

No dude, it doesnt stop the bishop from forking the rook and the knight. If you place the rook on d7, it cannot attack the forking bishop on e7 because the rook on e1 is guarding it! Naturally he trys to defend his knight.

[Robotman42]

It's nice to know even if you avoid the Ruy Lopez by playing the French, Sicilian, Nimzowitsch, or other defences against 1. e4

[aaronmcc23]

Thanks for the two videos on the Ruy Lopez Matt. I'm considering going back to playing 1. e4 having recently just bought Andrew Greet's book on the Ruy Lopez. He later recommends playing the Worrall system which looks quite promising..

[MAfr3ak]

at 7:32 couldnt black also play g5, but then again, black would have a weak kingside...

[alakasamsmart]

What if black use the bishop to take the queen?

[GreenCastleBlock]

Simply Nxe5. Without a rook on d8, White doesn't need to guard his back rank, so Black can't take on e4.

[alakasamsmart]

So basically you just win a pawn and since there is no rook on d8 for checkmate, they cannot take the e4 pawn right?

[IEatNubs6]

wow

[frank124c]

All of your videos are interesting and I am learning a great deal by watching them! Keep them coming!

[cheeseischocolate4]

Rd1 is not checkmate Re1 Rxe1++

[GreenCastleBlock]

True, the move is not literally checkmate.

[deathbeam33]

what if Nd4?

[cheeseischocolate4]

What about Bxd8?

[hmsrenown]

White wins a pawn right away.

[irvpat]

Excellent!

[qwertical]

Brilliant, loved it!

[Underheifetz]

Excellent video. I just have a suggestion. At 1:44, instead of playing d5, why not play dxe5? Then, if ...dxe5, QxQ, KxQ, Bxc6,bxc6,Kxe5. with that white has an advantage because if black plays Kxe4, white will play Kxf7+ and wins the rook. Now we will supose that black instead of playing dxe5 plays Kd7 (like Fritz recomends), then white plays exd6 and wins a pawn. What do you think about that option? Anyway thanks a lot for the video, is awesome

[sausage4mash]

like i will remember all that :-) good video though

[chaserswaroneverthin]

ive got a suggestion, on 2:00 why doesnt bishop take the pawn, the pin is kept up he still can take it that pawn is hard to defend and he wins the first 1

[agozyen]

I found you on my iphone, but only a few of these can be found there.

Can the rest be added?

[Gebonner]

Excellent

[Adunatos]

How about a couple of lines from the Marshall Attack? It's a bit more advanced, but also more instructive. Nice work on your videos.

[GreenCastleBlock]

Thanks. I don't know the Marshall, I avoid it when I have White with an early Qe2, sorry :-(

[Adunatos]

Really, do you play the Worrall Attack? :) Do you have Andrew Greet's book, "Play the RL" ( on the Worrall)? If so, is it any good? Thanks for responding by the way.

[alakasamsmart]

I got a question, if White Queen kills Black Queen, why can't black use the bishop to kill the White Queen?

[RKHSMan]

thanks for the videos these are a real help, maybe I'll be able to beat more people at the club next time.

thankyou for your vids

[Masky]

thanks!

[Dessan01]

Good for what it is, but not a massive help, because I have never yet seen anyone play the Steinitz defence - as you say in the video its an older line and would probably be considered weak now. Still I'll keep it in mind if it ever comes up in one of my games.

[stevent430]

hi, im just wondering if it is a viable move at around 0:16 to 0:30 of the video

that the black moving his pond at a7 to a6 immediately. Because after that the white's bishop would have to move from b5 to a4, then black can move his b7 pond to b5, wouldnt that force white into a not so desirable situation?

im just wondering is that because there is always a good counter for white if black does that

or is that a viable move thats just not discussed b/c its not relevent to this video?

thx

[GreenCastleBlock]

3...a6 is the most common move, but it's not the Steinitz Defense, so it doesn't appear in this video. Check out my video on the Neo-Steinitz, in which I discuss 3...a6 4.Ba4 d6.

Black can move his pawn to b5 right away: 4.Ba4 b5. But usually he reserves this move for later.

[trixapete]

Great videos man. Do you use Fritz, cos i just downloaded it. And at the moment it plays 4 moves and then just stops playing. can anyone help me out please? thanks

[zvegasz]

who plays the Steinitz today? None, thats who. The defence is illogical and refuted.

[dorkwad9223]

u wanna know a trap in the ruy lopez? heres one: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 7. Qd4+ Kg1 or something 8. Qxe5. You control the center, they can't castle and they have no pieces developed

[GreenCastleBlock]

That's a nice line.  Bxc6 and Nxe5 is often premature for White in the Ruy Lopez. As good as your line is though, I would prefer 5...Qd4 6.Nd3 (forced as Black threatened ...Qxe5 and ...Qxf2) Qxe4+ and now White will have his king stuck in the center whether he plays Kf1 or Qe2, and Black gets to keep his Bishop pair.

[nhat8121]

what's your rating?

[ekingh]

or u can do some more blitz games

[ekingh]

impressive, i like these traps, if u have more post them