Elephant Trap
Queen's Gambit Declined · intermediate · set by Black
An 'undefended' pawn looks free to grab — it isn't.
Black's knight on f6 looks pinned to the queen, making the d5-pawn look like a free capture. It's a trap: after White grabs the pawn, Black recaptures with the 'pinned' knight anyway, and the pin turns out not to matter because White's queen gets trapped a few moves later, netting Black a full piece. The safe path is simply not taking on d5 at all — normal development keeps the position balanced.
Move by move
- 1. d4: Opens with the Queen's Gambit.
- 1... d5: Declines it, playing solidly.
- 2. c4: Standard development.
- 2... e6: Continues development.
- 3. Nc3: Pins the knight to the queen.
- 3... Nf6: Develops, defending the knight.
- 4. Bg5: Pins the other knight too.
- 4... Nbd7: Develops naturally.
- 5. cxd5: Offers a trade in the center.
- 5... exd5: Recaptures, looking completely fine.
- 6. Nxd5 (the mistake): Grabs the pawn — looks free since the knight on f6 is 'pinned.' This is the losing move.
- 6... Nxd5: Recaptures anyway — the pin doesn't actually matter here, since the tactics favor Black.
- 7. Bxd8: Grabs the queen, looking like it wins on the spot.
- 7... Bb4+: Checks with the bishop — the point of the whole sequence.
- 8. Qd2: Blocks with the queen, the only move.
- 8... Bxd2+: Trades queens.
- 9. Kxd2: Recaptures.
- 9... Kxd8: Recaptures the bishop on d8 — and Black has won a full piece.
Safe instead: e3