The Fishing Pole is a chess opening trap most common in the Ruy Lopez (especially in the Berlin Defence and Exchange Variations), however, the trap can be used in any opening or in the middle of the game. Its broadest definition is a move that sacrifices a knight or bishop on the g-file to open up the h-file, after the opponent king has short castled and before you have short castled. [1] [2] [3]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5! (see diagram)
7. hxg4?? hxg4
8. Nxe5?? Qh4! 9. f4 g3 10. Qh5 Rxh5 11. Rf3 Qh1#
8. Nh2?? Qh4! 9. Re1 Qxh2+ 10. Kf1 Qh1+ 11. Ke2 Qxg2 12. d3 Qf3+ 13. Kd2 Qxf2+
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
4. O-O
4... Ng4?? 5. h3
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
5... h5 (see diagram) [5]
6. hxg4?? hxg4 7. Nh2?? Qh4
8. f4 g3 9. Rf3 Qxh2+ 10. Kf1 Nd4 11. Ke1 Qxg2 12. Rf1 Rh1 13. Qe2 Nxe2 14. Rxh1 Nd4 15. Nc3 Qxh1+ 16. Bf1 g2 17. Kf2 gxf1=Q+ 18. Ke3 Nxc3#
8. f3 g3 9. Rf2 Nd4 10. Kf1 gxh2 11. Ke1 h1=Q+ 12. Bf1 Qxf1+ 13. Kxf1 Qh1#
8. Re1 Qxh2+ 9. Kf1 Nd4 10. f4 g3 11. Bxd7+ Bxd7 12. Qh5 Qh1+ 13. Qxh1 Rxh1#
The earliest known examples of the trap is during the mid game Johannes Zukertort vs Simon Winawer at the 1883 London Tournament (see diagram right). The chess master Johannes Zukertort won the game. [6]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Move 12 of Game 8 of the World Chess Championship 2023 between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren used the trap (see diagram left). [7]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
The Fishing Pole is a chess opening trap most common in the Ruy Lopez (especially in the Berlin Defence and Exchange Variations), however, the trap can be used in any opening or in the middle of the game. Its broadest definition is a move that sacrifices a knight or bishop on the g-file to open up the h-file, after the opponent king has short castled and before you have short castled. [1] [2] [3]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5! (see diagram)
7. hxg4?? hxg4
8. Nxe5?? Qh4! 9. f4 g3 10. Qh5 Rxh5 11. Rf3 Qh1#
8. Nh2?? Qh4! 9. Re1 Qxh2+ 10. Kf1 Qh1+ 11. Ke2 Qxg2 12. d3 Qf3+ 13. Kd2 Qxf2+
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
4. O-O
4... Ng4?? 5. h3
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
5... h5 (see diagram) [5]
6. hxg4?? hxg4 7. Nh2?? Qh4
8. f4 g3 9. Rf3 Qxh2+ 10. Kf1 Nd4 11. Ke1 Qxg2 12. Rf1 Rh1 13. Qe2 Nxe2 14. Rxh1 Nd4 15. Nc3 Qxh1+ 16. Bf1 g2 17. Kf2 gxf1=Q+ 18. Ke3 Nxc3#
8. f3 g3 9. Rf2 Nd4 10. Kf1 gxh2 11. Ke1 h1=Q+ 12. Bf1 Qxf1+ 13. Kxf1 Qh1#
8. Re1 Qxh2+ 9. Kf1 Nd4 10. f4 g3 11. Bxd7+ Bxd7 12. Qh5 Qh1+ 13. Qxh1 Rxh1#
The earliest known examples of the trap is during the mid game Johannes Zukertort vs Simon Winawer at the 1883 London Tournament (see diagram right). The chess master Johannes Zukertort won the game. [6]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Move 12 of Game 8 of the World Chess Championship 2023 between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren used the trap (see diagram left). [7]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |