Lasker Trap
Queen's Gambit · advanced · set by Black
A rare underpromotion on move seven wins material after a natural blunder.
Black's pawn structure looks like it's simply falling apart, and White's natural try to win the bishop back looks completely safe. It isn't: Black's pawn crashes through to f2 with check, and after the king is forced out, an underpromotion to a knight (not a queen!) both checks the king and sets up a skewer that wins the queen next move. The safe path for White is accepting slightly worse doubled pawns instead of grabbing the bishop.
Move by move
- 1. d4: Opens with the Queen's Gambit.
- 1... d5: Declines the gambit, countering in the center instead.
- 2. c4: Offers the c-pawn.
- 2... e5: Strikes back in the center immediately.
- 3. dxe5: White grabs the pawn.
- 3... d4: Pushes forward, gaining space.
- 4. e3: Challenges the advanced pawn.
- 4... Bb4+: Pins the knight with check.
- 5. Bd2: Blocks the check.
- 5... dxe3: Takes the pawn, opening the position further.
- 6. Bxb4 (the mistake): Grabs the bishop, looking like it wins material cleanly — this is the losing move.
- 6... exf2+: Crashes through with check instead of recapturing normally.
- 7. Ke2: Forced — the king has to step out.
- 7... fxg1=N+: An underpromotion to a knight, not a queen — this both checks the king and sets up the winning idea.
- 8. Ke1: Forced.
- 8... Qh4+: Another check, bringing the queen into the attack.
- 9. Kd2: The king is forced further out, and Black is winning material with the attack still raging.
Safe instead: fxe3