Légal's Trap
Spot the mistake, then find the punishment
Starting positionWhite to move
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The temptation
6...Bxd1 is the move that springs the trap. After Nxe5, Black's bishop can capture White's queen. Counting only material makes ...Bxd1 look irresistible.
Why it works
7.Bxf7+ forces 7...Ke7, then 8.Nd5# ends the game. White's bishop covers e6 and e8, the e5 knight covers d7 and f7, and the d5 knight checks e7 while covering f6. Black's own pieces occupy the remaining flights. Taking the queen was the decisive mistake: after 6.Nxe5, Black can instead play 6...Nxe5 and meet Qxh5 with a playable material balance. The lesson is to examine checks before accepting a queen sacrifice.
Three minor pieces make a mating net
Nd5 checks e7. The bishop on f7 seals e6 and e8; the e5 knight seals d7 and f7. Black's pawn on d6, queen on d8 and bishop on f8 block the other flights.
How to avoid it
After 6.Nxe5, do not grab the queen. Consider 6...Nxe5 7.Qxh5 Nxc4, and calculate the forcing moves before choosing a capture.
The opening behind it
Learn the sound version of this line and the trick stops being tempting.