Marshall Trap
Petrov's Defense · advanced · set by Black
A long, sharp line where one careless rook move opens the king to a full attack.
Both sides develop normally through the middlegame, but White's rook move overlooks a bishop sacrifice on h2. Once accepted, Black's knight and bishop tear through White's kingside pawns with check after check, eventually winning back all the sacrificed material with the king still exposed. The safe path is developing the queenside knight first instead of the rook move.
Move by move
- 1. e4: Opens the center.
- 1... e5: Black mirrors it.
- 2. Nf3: White grabs the pawn.
- 2... Nf6: Solid, defends normally.
- 3. Nxe5: Retreats, preparing to castle.
- 3... d6: Strikes in the center.
- 4. Nf3: Develops normally.
- 4... Nxe4: Grabs a pawn, both sides trading in the center.
- 5. d4: Continues central expansion.
- 5... d5: Matches in the center.
- 6. Bd3: Develops the bishop.
- 6... Bd6: Develops, matching White.
- 7. O-O: Castles into safety.
- 7... O-O: Black castles too.
- 8. c4: Expands on the queenside.
- 8... Bg4: Pins the knight.
- 9. cxd5: Trades pawns in the center.
- 9... f5: Strikes with the f-pawn, opening lines.
- 10. Re1 (the mistake): A natural developing move, connecting the rooks — but it overlooks a sacrifice. This is the losing move.
- 10... Bxh2+: Sacrifices the bishop, ripping open the king's shelter.
- 11. Kxh2: Forced — declining loses even faster.
- 11... Nxf2: Grabs a pawn with a fork on the queen and rook.
- 12. Qe2: Defends and develops.
- 12... Nxd3: Grabs another pawn.
- 13. Qxd3: Recaptures.
- 13... Bxf3: Trades the remaining minor pieces.
- 14. Qxf3: Recaptures.
- 14... Qh4+: Brings the queen in with check, and Black has won back all the material with the attack still going.
Safe instead: Nc3