Albin Countergambit, Lasker Trap
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Position after 5...dxe3, setting the trap
The Lasker Trap is a chess opening trap in the Albin Countergambit, named after Emanuel Lasker, although it was first noted by Serafino Dubois (Hooper & Whyld 1996, p. 219). It is unusual in that it features an underpromotion as early as the seventh move.
Analysis
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
- The Albin Countergambit.
3. dxe5 d4
- The black pawn on d4 is stronger than it appears.
4. e3?
- Careless. Usual and better is 4.Nf3.
4... Bb4+ 5. Bd2 dxe3! (see diagram)
- Now White's best option is to accept doubled pawns with 6.fxe3.
6. Bxb4??
- Blundering into the Lasker Trap. In an 1899 consultation game in Moscow, Blumenfeld, Boyarkow, and Falk playing White against Lasker tried 6.Qa4+?, but Black wins after this move also. The game continued 6...Nc6 7.Bxb4 Qh4 8.Ne2 Qxf2+ 9.Kd1 Bg4 10.Nc3 0-0-0+ 11.Bd6 cxd6 12.e6 fxe6 13.Kc1 Nf6 14.b4 d5 15.b5 Ne5 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Qc2 Nb4 18.Nd1+ Nxc2 19.Nxf2 Rd2 White resigned.
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Position after 7...fxg1=N+!
- The Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (volume D) gives 6.fxe3 as the best move. Black gets a slight advantage, but White has avoided the worst and can defend.
6... exf2+
- Now 7.Kxf2 would lose the queen to 7...Qxd1, so White must play 7.Ke2.
7. Ke2 fxg1=N+! (see diagram)
- Underpromotion is the key to the trap. (If instead 7...fxg1=Q, then 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Rxg1 is okay for White.) Now 8.Rxg1 Bg4+ skewers White's queen, so the king must move again.
8. Ke1 Qh4+ 9. Kd2
- The alternative, 9.g3, loses the h1-rook to the fork 9...Qe4+.
9... Nc6
- White is hopelessly lost. After 10.Bc3, 10...Bg4 followed by 11...0-0-0+ is crushing.
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