[Event "Chess for Ukraine Fundraiser: Stafford Gambit Trap"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/oKLLAftf/064xenEa"] [Result "*"] [Annotator "Bill Brock"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Stafford Gambit"] [UTCDate "2022.04.06"] [UTCTime "21:51:28"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/oKLLAftf/064xenEa"] [Orientation "white"] { IM Eric Rosen, the Johnny Appleseed of the Stafford Gambit, taught us a cool trap between rounds of the Chess for Ukraine blitz. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 { Compare } (3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3 { the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit. Play the Stafford Gambit with an extra tempo, and it's still dubious. } 5... f6! (5... d6?? 6. Nxe5! { wins }) 6. Nh4 g6 7. f4 Qe7! 8. f5 Qg7 { Stockfish confirms this refutation discovered by humans many decades ago. But Black will suffer to convert: I speak from tournament experience. }) 3... Nc6?! { Is the Stafford a cheap trick? No, it's a series of cheap tricks. } 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. f3 { White defends the Boden-Kieseritzky with a tempo in hand. Easy win, right? } 5... Be6!? { And black sets a cute trap. Note that the thematic try... } (5... Nxe4?? { now loses trivially to } 6. fxe4 Qh4+ 7. g3 Qxe4+ 8. Qe2 { White pins and wins. }) 6. c3?? { This natural move loses! Better is another natural move, } (6. d4 Nxe4 7. fxe4 Qh4+ 8. Kd2 Qxe4 { White may be better here, but most players will not enjoy the Steinitzian king walk. }) (6. d3! { Best is the boring 6.d3! and White is just winning...but not trivially. }) 6... Nxe4! 7. fxe4 Qh4+ 8. g3 Qxe4+ 9. Qe2 { and now we see the point of the trap laid by 5...Be6!? } 9... Qxh1 { There is no pin! } *