Brilliant sacrifices 1: classic traps

Ten famous opening sacrifices every player should know: the Fried Liver, Légal's mate, the Siberian trap and more. Each one is shown, played and explained, with the right answer when your opponent defends better. This is an opening course with 10 lessons and 35 interactive exercises, suited to players rated around 900 (beginners). Every exercise is played on a real board with feedback after each move, there is nothing to install, and it is free.

Lessons in Brilliant sacrifices 1: classic traps

  1. The Fried Liver Attack – Two Knights Defence, C57. White gives a knight on f7 and pulls the black king into the centre.
  2. Légal's mate – Philidor Defence, C41. White gives the queen and mates with three minor pieces.
  3. Punishing the Damiano Defence – Damiano Defence, C40. Black guards e5 with the f-pawn. A knight sacrifice opens the king.
  4. The Stafford trap – Petrov Defence, Stafford Gambit, C42. Black gives the queen and mates with two bishops and a knight.
  5. From's Gambit queen sacrifice – Bird Opening, From's Gambit, A02. Black gives the queen for a mate in two.
  6. The Kieninger trap – Budapest Gambit, A52. Black leaves a bishop hanging, and a knight gives smothered mate.
  7. The Lasker trap – Albin Countergambit, D08. Black leaves a bishop, marches a pawn to g1 and makes a knight.
  8. The Siberian trap – Smith-Morra Gambit, B21. Black offers a knight on d4 to mate on h2.
  9. The Blackburne Shilling trap – Italian Game, Blackburne Shilling Gambit, C50. Black lets a knight fork the rook, and mates on f3.
  10. Réti's queen sacrifice – Caro-Kann Defence, B15. A queen sacrifice and mate in three, from Réti against Tartakower.

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