Sicilian Defence, Magnus Smith Trap
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Position after 8.e5!
The Magnus Smith Trap is a chess opening trap in the Sicilian Defence, named after three-time Canadian chess champion Magnus Smith (1869-1934). In an article titled "'The Magnus Smith Trap'" published in his Chess Notes column (hosted at the Chess History Center), chess historian Edward Winter wrote: "We believe that ‘Magnus Smith Trap’ is a misnomer, although in the Sicilian Defence there is a ‘Magnus Smith Variation’ (a very rare instance of a player’s forename and surname being used jointly in openings terminology)."
The trap
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4
- This is the Sozin (or Fischer) Variation of the Sicilian Defense. A common response is 6...e6, to make White's bishop on c4 "bite on granite".
6... g6?!
- By playing 6...g6?!, Black falls into the trap.
7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5! (see diagram)
- Black is in a bad way. After 8...Nh5?, Bobby Fischer gives 9.Qf3! e6 (9...d5 10.Nxd5!) 10.g4 Ng7 11.Ne4 Qa5+ (11...d5 12.Nf6+ Ke7 13.Qa3+) 12.Bd2 Qxe5 13.Bc3 and Black's queen is trapped. Preferable alternatives are 8...Ng4 9.e6 f5, and Black eventually managed to draw in Schlechter-Lasker, World Championship (7) 1910 and 8...d5 9.exf6 dxc4 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.Bg5 Be6 12.0-0-0+ Ke8, and Black ultimately even won in Rosen-Burn, Paris 1900.
The move Black actually chooses leads to instant disaster.
8... dxe5?? 9. Bxf7+
- White wins Black's queen after 9...Kxf7 10.Qxd8.
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