Scotch (Trap #1) good for Black

This little trap is fairly obvious - effectively it shows that Knight forays early on in the game can lead to disaster! Here is the short sequence of moves:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 exd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Bg5 (pinning Knight)
5. ... h6
6. BxN QxN
7. Nb5!? (White is not too bothered about b2 falling ... )















7. ... (Bc5 - threatens mate)

8. f3 (Now Black Queen can take on b2)
8. ... Qxb2

9. Nxc7+ (should have looked before they leapt!)
9. ... Kd8

10. Nxa8 Qxa1
11. Nd2 Bxf2+!
12. Ke2 Nd4+!
13. Kxf2 (forced)
13. ... QxQ and wins ...

Scotch Game - trebled pawns

Hi Steve

In response to your comment, instead of 9. .. Nf6 - I thought he could play Be6 with the intention of pushing the pawn onto c4. This could give Black some good counter-play and become a real hindrance for White! Black has successfully reduced the scope of White's bishop along the f1-a6 diagonal by doing this - however White could develop the Bishop on g2, after g3 eyeing the pawn on c6 which is vulnerable to attack and also preparing f4 ... !?

Actually, in the game I was afraid of the c5 pawn reaching c4 hence I think in hindsight that it would have been better to play an immediate 9. c4 ... (Your idea looks good though)

Another won game, another draw ...

I played my club game tonight and as usual, played the Scotch ....

The game went like this ...

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. d4 exd4

4. Nxd4 Bc5 (correct so far)

5. Be3 d6? (not so sure about this for Black - leads to trebled pawns!)

6. Nxc6 bxc6
7. Bxc5 dxc5
8. Qxd8 Kxd8













Now - surely White's in the driving seat? - A won game no doubt. Black can no longer castle and has trebled pawns. On the contrary, White can castle after developing the Bishop ...

I thought it was really a case of getting castled in this position, therefore I planned to develop the Bishop to c4 and if he developed his to e6 then I wanted to exchange them off, hopefully creating an isolated pawn in the process. The game went

9. Bc4 Ke7 (I thought this was too ambitious - king in the middle of the board etc.)
10. Nc3 Nf6
11. O-O Be6
12. Bxe6 Kxe6
13. Na4













13. .. Nd7
14. f4 Rb8
15. b3 c4 (a good move allowing exchange of pawn - On capture Rook is destined for b4)
16. Rd1 cb
17. cb Rd8
18. e5 Ke7
19. Re1 Nb6













Black offered a draw in this position and I begrudgingly accepted knowing that I'd missed an ideal opportunity to play an earlier pawn to c4 - immediately stopping the trebled pawns in their tracks ...

Here's the position I should have reached on 9.c4 (will continue analysis on this position tomorrow!)













Look forward to comments .... ! (over to you Steve ... )

More tomorrow ...

A nice board & pieces at last!