Chess traps
The Lasker Trap in the Albin Countergambit
The Lasker trap is an Albin Countergambit trap in which Black's d-pawn marches to f2 with check and then promotes to a knight on g1 with check, after which Black wins White's queen or traps the king.
Example
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. e3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 dxe3 6. Bxb4 exf2+ 7. Ke2 fxg1=N+ 8. Rxg1 Bg4+ 9. Kf2 Qxd1
6.Bxb4 takes the bishop, but 6...exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+ underpromotes with check. After 8.Rxg1 Bg4+ the queen on d1 falls. Promoting to a queen would have allowed Rxg1 without the check.
How the trap works
In the Albin Countergambit, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4, Black's pawn on d4 cramps White. After 4.e3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2, the pawn captures 5...dxe3. If White now takes the bishop with 6.Bxb4, the pawn keeps going: 6...exf2+ 7.Ke2, and 7...fxg1=N+ promotes to a knight with check.
The knight promotion is the point. A new queen on g1 would not give check and would be captured by the rook. The knight check gains a tempo, and after 8.Rxg1, 8...Bg4+ skewers the king and the queen on d1. If the king goes 8.Ke1 instead, 8...Qh4+ starts a winning attack.
Why the natural move fails and what to play instead
6.Bxb4 wins a bishop and looks safe, but it lets the pawn on e3 capture on f2 with check. White should play 6.fxe3, removing the dangerous pawn. The position is then roughly equal.
White can also avoid the whole problem earlier. 4.e3 is not the most accurate move, and 4.Nf3 followed by g3 and Bg2 is the main line against the Albin.
The lesson
An advanced passed pawn supported by tactics can be worth more than a piece. When a pawn is two steps from promotion, check what happens if it captures with check. And remember underpromotion: a knight is sometimes the only piece that gives check.
Common questions
Why promote to a knight instead of a queen?
On g1 a knight gives check to the king on e2, while a queen would not. The check gives Black time for Bg4+, which wins White's queen.
Is the Albin Countergambit sound?
It is playable but considered a little dubious at a high level. White can keep an edge with 4.Nf3 and a kingside fianchetto.
Keep learning
Find these moments in your own games.
Paste a game into the free analyzer to find the moves that cost you, with each mistake explained in plain English. Three analyses are free, with no email or card.
Analyze a game free →Practice with a coach beside you.
Play a human-like opponent at your level while the coach explains your moves as you go. The first coached game is free.
Play a free coached game →