Trap · played as White

King's Gambit: h6 and the Rook Lift

Against 3...g5 you play 4.h4 and the g5 pawn is already loose. 4...h6 defends it, but 5.hxg5 hxg5?? forgets that the h-file opens with a rook staring down it. 6.Rxh8 wins a rook, and often a second one on f8.

A position this opening is aiming for.

You play
White
Variations covered
9
What it wins
Wins material

The main line

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 h6 5.hxg5 hxg5 6.Rxh8 Nh6 7.Nc3 Qf6 8.Rxf8+

How the trap springs

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 h6 5.hxg5 hxg5 6.Rxh8 Nh6 7.Nc3 Qf6 8.Rxf8+

Traps are only worth knowing if somebody actually falls into them, so each one here was checked against what club players really play, not only against what an engine would.

Some of the variations

…and 3 more in the trainer.

Train it

ChessReflex drills the branch points where a line splits rather than making you replay it move by move, so a repertoire this size is a handful of decisions instead of hundreds of moves. Free, and no account needed to start.

Open King's Gambit: h6 and the Rook Lift