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Chess traps

Légal's Mate

Philidor Defense · beginner · set by White

White gives up the queen and mates with three minor pieces.

Black's pin on the f3 knight looks strong, but after Nxe5 taking the queen lets Bxf7+ and Nd5# finish the game.

Move by move

  1. 1. e4: Central pawn.
  2. 1... e5: Black answers.
  3. 2. Nf3: Knight attacks e5.
  4. 2... d6: Philidor: solid but passive.
  5. 3. Bc4: Bishop eyes f7.
  6. 3... Bg4: Black pins the knight to the queen.
  7. 4. Nc3: Development.
  8. 4... g6: A slow move that leaves f7 and e5 weak.
  9. 5. Nxe5: White ignores the pin and grabs e5!
  10. 5... Bxd1 (the mistake): Greedy: Black takes the queen.
  11. 6. Bxf7+: Check, and the king has only e7.
  12. 6... Ke7: Forced.
  13. 7. Nd5#: Checkmate by three minor pieces!

Safe instead: dxe5

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