7 Best Chess Opening Traps in the Scandinavian Defense

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In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov talks about the 7 best chess opening traps in the Scandinavian Defense. A lot of you have requested us to do a video on this, and so here it comes!
The Scandinavian Defense follows the opening moves 1.e4 d5, which is a very common choice of opening for those below a 2000 rating. A lot of chess players like to play this opening because it’s a bit tricky. In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov will be sharing with you the traps that you can use either for White or for Black and, therefore, you can use them regardless of the color you are playing.
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#IgorNation #ScandinavianDefense #ChessTraps #OpeningTraps #ChessOpenings

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

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[@ujjwalkothari2011]

Your teaching style is just insane. Please continue making videos like this. I am addicted to this channel and also binge watch your videos everyday. You are the most legendary chess coach on youtube. Keep it up

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

😊

[@valerianotupaz2944]

Thank for your generosity sharing chess tactics.

[@Paulmasonism]

Thanks, Igor. I find your lessons really clear and well presented.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad to hear that, Paul!

[@juline190782]

The best chess chanel on youtube and deserve 1 million subs. thank you GM !

[@Yourmumslover1]

Not even a million a bilion

[@jumpcaps1261]

He deserves more awesome contents

[@thenateyoulove]

Couldn't agree more

[@krishivv3078]

Trillion subscribers won't be enough for Remote Chess Academy.

[@liampenny9016]

Excellent video great insight to the possibilities offered by the Scandinavian

[@MoneySuccesswithAndy]

I am loving your opening traps series, this is great!

[@davidbatchelder85]

you are one of the best at teaching , explaining difficult aspects in a clear view.

[@flamarjr2000]

Thank you! Excellent content

[@noobiesensei6281]

18:30 I may be late, but I think Rxe6. If the black kinv doesn't take back, that's a free bishop. If he does, Nc7 double check at least get that rook back, might have checkmate potential.

[@sekharkrishnamurthy3927]

No need to take the rook on a8. The knight guards the d5 & e6 squares and frees the white bishop for further attacks. A check mate is soon to follow after relentless attack 😃

[@chilakashalemraju3668]

Outstanding sir. Thank you

[@TheAnshuman1974]

18:20 Rxe6 Kxe6 and now Nc7 double check! Option 1: Ke5 Bf4+ Kxf4 Ne6+ royal fork winning the queen. Option 2: Kf5 Qf3+ Kg6 Qg3+ Kf5 (Kh5 Qg5#) Qg5+ Ke4 Qf4#.

[@szabolcsjobbagy30]

At 13:49 you say that Black cannot do anything against c3#, but actually can play Nd5, and postpone the "end", these are the suggestions of Stockfish, this ending is amazing (both players play the best moves, if Black does not play like this, the checkmate comes sooner): … Nd5, c3+ Nxc3, bxc3+ Ke3, 0-0 Nd4, Rfe1+ Ne2+, Kf1 Qxg5, Rxe2+ Kxf4, Kg1 Kd5, d4+ Kf5, Rf1+ Qf4, g4# So White sacrificed the queen in move 9, and then after this "chase", in move 24, after 15 moves without a queen (!) White can finally checkmate Black, it's one of the fanciest end of a match. :) However, I think no human can calculate that, only an AI can do this. :)

[@takituk4584]

exactly what i thought. also Na4 would avoid the checkmate

[@obeid707]

Fantastic Opening tactics .

[@thantzin007]

I love it. Great! Thank you so much.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad you like it!

[@anacletorebaldojr.9086]

Thanks GM Smirnov !!!!

[@ubandoandes4709]

Thanks for sharing this chess traps tactics

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

We are glad you liked it

[@catlife331]

Thank you for all the content you make. This channel is one of the best to come to for openings I find tricky to play against

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Happy to help!

[@GarciaPics]

What an excellent video! Thank you!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad you liked it!

[@zenithmusicstudio1096]

I have seriously been addicted to your channel I am binge watching videos like anything Great work 🙏❤ Love from 🇮🇳

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@strongestunited]

thank you so much for that first trap!

[@swatichatterjee8544]

Excellent Video

[@frankoptis]

i was searching for traps as black, but the only thing this video showed me how white gets ideas on how to trap me :-(

[@blackfordoblique1965]

lol

[@The_Kirk_Lazarus]

Well, it can also give you ideas for how to avoid those traps.

[@sobaranski]

😂😂😂

[@khinkyawhtwe8603]

It means that Scandinavian defense is giving benefits to white

[@DREADHEAD856]

As black D6 followed by c5 I win 55% of my games with black … 51 percent win with white 4% stalemate …. I need to learn how to be consistent with white

[@aymanmansour3631]

Fantastic material

[@robertmermelstein3397]

Thank you! Very helpful and abstract really...think outside the box

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ramilparedes9930]

Very helpful

[@jamesdelb6885]

They are all great lines. Very instructive. Your channel is simple, instructive and effective. I had a chance to play a game the very next time after watching your video in the Gioco-Piano where black plays Nf6 instead of Bc5. And after white plays Ng5, Nxe5. Eventually trapped the white Q and wound up a whole Q ahead. These are simple, crushing lines you show. Thanks again. The very next game I played. That was strange.

[@ramilparedes9930]

Very informative

[@elaminerami5231]

Thanks a lot ✍️🌼🌿

[@rustygwapito]

I learned a lot. Thank you.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad to hear it!

[@mdobidulislam8573]

thanks

[@smartsingh]

Hey GM, I just wanted to say thank you so much, I get so annoyed by getting pushed around by this and your videos have been soooo helpful 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad I could help

[@luger188]

I love your channel, thank you.

[@ahmedalmassri2997]

Perfect

[@EarthSurferUSA]

On your first example. My comp game does that to me for the opening pawns, (I am black). Then I attack the queen with my knight like you did, and the queen moves to G5. The I bring out my 2nd knight to attack it, and the queen moves to f4, and I move my queen pawn to D3 to attack the queen with my parked bishop. The the queen retreats to d6, me half way developed,---and it kicks my butt.

[@19justincase84]

The last trap is insane sick!!

[@stevelenores5637]

It is really you. Exactly like you sound on your original lessons. I decided to check this out because a lot of internet chess players chose this against 1.e4.

[@thedude5599]

you by far are the best content creator out there. TY for all the information

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad to help

[@barongdoang7032]

Thanks from Indonesia to GM

[@georgiosgaletakis9433]

Thanks.

[@mrcocoghambo5413]

22:00 instead of Queen taking it possible to play Bishop to B4 letting white go C7 then move the king and if white take the Rock thats a mate with Bishop to D2. THOU thats very ez to stop with instead of Knight to C7 just blocking the Bishop with a pawn would give you big troubles. a GM would probably see that easily but still

[@mariannefischer3613]

Superb analysis!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@aspoonfulofknowledge]

Great job! Love it!!

[@donnad841]

God Bless u GM Igor, im fr. D' Philippines.

[@dobairichard6548]

There is this line as well that wins a Queen 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4 Qxb4 5.Nb5 Qa5 6.Bc4 c6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5 g6 9.Nd6+ exd6 10.Qxa5

[@Writer-Md-Rana]

Great! 🧡

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@derred723]

By far the most common response i get is Qe5 check. Not mentioned here unless i missed it.

[@darthbane6169]

very good work...keep up :)

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@elementdelta1905]

Cool video

[@AliHanafiah]

Nice

[@bhavysojitra6284]

Pls make a vidd on how to defend reti opening......;!!!!

[@dustykh]

On the position at 4:00 while it isnt as great as the alternative, its certainly not a bad position for white.

[@michaelmendillo7513]

100,000. !!!! Pat yourself on the back. !!! Not us. !!!! Congratulations!!!! 😁👍💕

[@jamesrobertson4605]

Excellent channel.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thank you very much!

[@phantasm3207]

Think at 24:06 it's important to point out what happens after d5 immediately ...b5 is a tricky move to find.

[@mrcocoghambo5413]

in nakamura's game i think Rock take on E6 and from there the king have to take and then u can chase the king with checks until its mate

[@osychenko]

You may also continue by double-checking the king by Kc7, and hence winning the rook back, i.e. you're up a bishop

[@stefors8397]

What about Rook to B7? From there, there is an interesting check with Re7, covered by the Knight, that has to be taken by the Queen...that is then captured by the Knight.

[@thischannelisnoneofyourbus5380]

Thx I will use this to win

[@alban2804]

Man you’re a beast

[@JCsflock]

I would play Rxe6, 1600 rated in rapid

[@mailletalexandre5477]

Thanks for this very nice vidéo! Can you tell me what happen for last trap if white doesn't play A3 but directly D5?

[@mrigankamajumdar7376]

Bf5

[@ramakotaiahvarada2265]

Please translate in telugu

[@ytgauravcharan]

I would rather give a check on e6 after knight c3. Please cover this variation as well

[@ShakilAhmed-be3nc]

Love you Igor sir

[@fundolly2009]

Knight B5 can give a check and game over

[@dndabke]

Sir, at the time 4.30, when black takes the promoted queen, white can mate by playing knight c 7 check. It is not just a piece more, it's a mate in one ! 4:30

[@dndabke]

Sir, at the time 4-30, when black takes the promoted queen, white can mate by knight c 7 check. White is not just a piece more, it's a mate in one move.

[@sonipolakian4256]

Nice video

[@thomasaskew1985]

I don't see the Scandinavian much, but I do appreciate your insight.

[@ganeshankrishnamurthy6317]

Show the traps to beat stockfish 10

[@crucifiedthief]

wish I got the Scandinavian more often, these look fun.

[@maxhoden0303]

Every time I go e4 I ALWAYS get the Scandinavian that is why I am watching this video

[@thatnhoxiu]

@@maxhoden0303 I recently got a 750 who played this and i lost against him lol, I also hate early queen moves and so punishing the Scandinavian would be a great achievement since I know how to defend against the wayward and scholar's mate

[@Quvl]

Im a scandinavian opening user

[@flacsomtodosclas2165]

@@thatnhoxiu You will not punish the scandinavian since it is a solid opening but you can trick your oponents

[@nicolaskdz]

nice

[@dndabke]

Sir, at 11-40 no need to sacrifice the queen, as no chance of mate. At 12-34 white has better take B x Q. No need to give a check by knight E 4. Because knight E 5 is already under threat by the king. If black takes B by rook, White can take Knight by Knight. Black rook will be in danger by knight. So, black takes knight. Now white can take Black's Bishop. If black takes Bishop by knight, White's Bishop and Knight are in danger. Save the knight by pawn. Now black can't take Bishop by knight because then knight into knight.. check and white gets the rook. Black's Bishop on D 1 is still not safe.

[@aaravkokkain4315]

In the second trap I guessed what move you were going to play Im happy because I am dumb at chess

[@daubert4892]

18:30 If king takes, then Rxb7 ? Then rook takes the bishop, knight takes the queen... Or maybe knight takes knight, if king takes knight then Qf3+, if pawn takes knight then Bxf6+ protected by the rook then king have to go to f6 or g6 then Qf3+ or Qg4+ Now, what if rook takes the knight on f7 ???

[@arpitpuria]

Free bishop

[@titoramtv9101]

New fan here... 😀🥰

[@paulhughes8057]

I don't know if I can remember all the traps. But it helps to see how to think.

[@lindalarracas606]

20:50

[@bubbageee]

20:11 B-a5 wins B's queen for two minor pieces which is not as good as winning a whole rook but hey, won queen!

[@tekmisa420]

Thanks Igor for sharing great traps. for some reason, can not download the PGN of these traps from the blog-post URL link

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks for pointing it out. We will check out the problem and correct the link in our description.

[@ogunronbitaiwofisayo6085]

Rxe6 exposing the bishop indirectly to the king

[@gauravmasand2354]

In the first trap in last knight to c7 is a mate

[@yusufkalapahad3631]

Sir very good trap please write mathematically written please sir

[@marcelinosimborio4003]

Can you post the simborskie attack

[@gm2407]

Hikaru I think would play Rb7 bringing another piece i to the attack pinning the bishop.

[@akdevendraswamy141]

RxB!!

[@chessmate6105]

Today i am having a tournament with gm/im and just trying to learn some traps

[@gus2052]

Can u please analyze if white plays d5 directly instead if A3 ataquing the knight? It's one of the last traps where the white queen gets trapped.

[@chitranshbhatnagar4351]

4:46 checkmate with nc7#

[@brucewayne2184]

18:30 Idk

[@ahinko]

Love the second trap in the video! But what if 8. Queen c5? Yes we can take the fork to king and take the rook, then we lose the bishop and have a useless knight in the enemy corner.

[@tfg601]

It could be useful in the endgame

[@invictus9976]

28:01 on the last trap. Why black doesn't push pawn d4 to d5? Many of these traps rely on the opponent playing the worst possible move.

[@miltonrivers]

These traps are so amazing till I fail everyday to expert level computer chess but I continue to sturdy them because I first began playing chess in oknawa Japan in 1971 ,my teacher who knew these traps would beat me unmercifully and now in 2023, I can't believe I have actually found these secrets.Well I consider them to be secret because I simply haven't discovered them in all these eventhough I have beatened all my opponents except one, the teacher,a Marine by the last name Berg from California.Thank you and all the others for sharing these valuable secrets with me and payday I intend to purchase a chess library 🤣

[@Theeny_Delo]

From my opinion this guy has a lot of good lines I’ve gorltten most of my tragedy from his instructions

[@97420Chris]

Great video but I wish you would have discussed the Icelandic Gambit.

[@hurtsonnnv2490]

last one is venomous

[@joesmoo9254]

I hate the Scandinavian defense so thanks for showing how to deal with them

[@davemills3734]

Thanks for the content but going to fast for me 🦤

[@ALaxmi-tg2oj]

Excellent video🌹👌👌👌👌👌🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳👌

[@juslawrencemenchavez233]

cool

[@jovannovakovic5150]

6:41 why it would be a end game bcs black can escape that check and potentialy capture knight? Can someone explain?

[@buzzyb12000]

You’re a fantastic chess player Igor, I watch and learn new tactics and has improved my chess playing especially with players pulling the old schoolers mate on me they come off second best. Thanks Igor

[@llindstad]

get to the points!