The Elephant Trap

Level:IntermediateD51

The clearest illustration on the whole site of the difference between an absolute and a relative pin — and it is a trap for WHITE, which is rarer and more useful. The bishop on g5 pins the f6 knight against the queen. Against the queen, not the king: so the knight may move, and here it must. White grabs a pawn believing the knight is paralysed and ends up a piece down. Read "The pin" in course 3 before this one.

Themes

  • clouage
  • ouverture
  • gambit-dame

Demonstration — use the arrows

Use the ← and → arrow keys, or click a move in the list.

Move list

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Start