Opening Traps/know them from both sides/C71/You play White

Noah's Ark Trap

Three black pawns build a box around the Spanish bishop on b3, and the queen that took back on d4 only speeds them along.

Coachedanswers the move you actually played

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Stockfish+0.36

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Noah's Ark TrapFoundation11 moves Sidestepping it: 8.a4as WhiteFoundationThe Ruy Lopez player's chair. Leave the d4-pawn for later and hit b5 at once: the pawns that would have built the box are traded off, and the pawn comes back a few moves later.13 moves Deep dive: Capablanca's continuationStructure15 moves

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.

StartBefore the first move

The starting position. White moves first, and that single tempo is the whole reason opening theory exists.

The moves in the text are buttons. Press one and the board beside it shows the position.

The idea in one paragraph

In the Ruy Lopez's Steinitz Defence Deferred, offers White a pawn in the centre. The natural is the mistake: and the b3-bishop is boxed in by the pawns on a6, b5 and c4. It can only take on c4 and be taken back. Steiner–Capablanca, Budapest 1929, went exactly this way. The cure is to hit b5 before the box is built: , the engine's choice.

The pawn structure

The ark itself: black pawns on b5 and c4, with a6 behind them, around a white bishop on b3. a4 is covered by the b5-pawn, a2 and c2 are White's own pawns, and c4 is defended. It is a structure worth recognising one move early: a bishop on b3 with black pawns on b5 and c5 is one ...c4 away from being trapped.

The plans

♔ White’s plans

After , do not take back with the queen. hits b5 first, and the engine calls it level; and are also fine.
Trade on b5 and down the a-file, then hit the loose b5-pawn with Qe2 and win the d4-pawn back with c3.
Whenever your bishop stands on b3, count its exits: a4, a2 and c2 should not all be closed at once.

♚ Black’s plans

Play the ordinary Steinitz Deferred moves (...a6, ...d6, ...b5) and trade on d4 when White plays d4: the trap costs nothing to set.
If the queen takes on d4, start the box at once with ...c5, use the bishop checks to gain time, and finish with ...c4.
Against , develop with ...Bb7 and give the d4-pawn back: the position is level.

Traps and things that lose games

Noah's Ark

and the bishop is lost. The cure: .

Its cousins where a bishop has no way home

the London ...h5 bishop hunt, and Timman's knight, where it is the g4-bishop that runs out of squares.

Ruy Lopez players from both sides. It has caught strong players (Capablanca won a game with it), and every move that sets it is a normal Ruy Lopez move.

Your learning path: Noah's Ark Trap

Beginner → Intermediate

One trap from both chairs: build the ark as Black, and break it up before it is built as White.

FoundationOne sitting
Goal. Spring it as Black, and never fall for it as White.
- The bait: the d4-pawn after 7...exd4.
- The box: ...c5, the bishop checks to guard a8, and ...c4.
- From White's chair: 8.a4!, then Qe2 and c3 to win the pawn back.
DrillDrill the trap as Black, then the sidestep as White. Then set up the position after 7...exd4 and count the b3-bishop's exits before choosing a move.
Common mistakePlaying ...c4 too early, before ...Be6 and ...Bd7 have dealt with the queen's attack on a8.
Move on whenYou can name the three squares that box the bishop in, and the one white move that stops it.
StructureAfter the Ruy Lopez chapter
Goal. Play a piece for two pawns the way Capablanca did.
- The deep dive: 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13.Qxc4, and quiet development a piece up.
DrillPlay the position after 15...O-O against an engine as Black.
Common mistakeGrabbing more pawns before the pieces are out. White's two extra pawns only matter if Black's pieces are passive.
Move on whenYou can win the piece-for-two-pawns position against an engine at club strength.

Whose games to study

Steiner–Capablanca, Budapest 1929, the game the deep dive follows. Every evaluation here comes from Stockfish at depth twenty.

What to learn after this

The Ruy Lopez course, for the rest of the Steinitz Deferred.