WINNING TRAP in the Italian Game for White

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🔹 Learn the Italian Game in 20 Minutes [Chess Opening Crash Course] - • Learn the Italian Game...
In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov shares with you one of the best chess opening traps for White in the Italian Game. Not only does it allow you to crush your opponents, it also helps you to win the game in style with a beautiful move!
The Italian Game is a popular chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4. The best thing about this trap is that it occurs after the most played moves by Black. You can win the game with an unstoppable kingside attack!
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► Chapters
00:00 Insane Chess TRAP in the Italian Game
00:42 Bg5 Pin after Black castles
01:08 Similar to the Fishing Pole Trap
01:44 If Black plays Ng4
03:06 If Black plays Nh7
05:04 Quiz for intermediates and advanced players
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#GMSmirnov #ChessTraps #ItalianGame #OpeningTraps

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

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[@Harrypotter-rb6kv]

This man really provides all this valuable theory for free especially being a GM. Props to you Igor

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Here's to many more exciting games! 🥂

[@artichoke60045]

If Qh5?, then Bxf2+. This has to be the move because it's mate in 1 without a check, and there's no other check. a. If Kxf2 fxg6+ followed by gxh5 and the attack is dead. All these variations get rid of white's queen one way or another, with black being up at least a piece. b. If Kf1 Ne3+ forces Kxf2 fxg6+ (like the previous variation) or Ke2 Bg4+. c. If Ke2 Nf4+. d. If Kd1 Bg4+, Qxg4 Ne3+. d. If Kd2 Qxg5+, Qxg5 Be3+.

[@bryanrj1338]

amazing wth

[@TheSeraphim75]

Win

[@kalfus5134]

👏👏thanks

[@wirajithuthpala6355]

Thats amazing bro

[@mehome4163]

After 1. Bxf2, Kxf2 2. fxg6 the mate threat with Qh8 AND h7 still exists. Thus it can’t be that easy. Therefore you either have to remove both the mate covering pieces (which seems impossible to me) or checkmate whites King.

[@kingexcess10]

1. Bxf2 check. If Kxf2 then f7xg6 with a discovery check and Queen is gone. 2. Bxf2 check. If Kd1, then Bg4 check, if Qxg4, Ne3 with a fork to the Queen. 3. Bxf2 check. Kf1, then Ne3 check. If Kxf2, then f7xg6 Queen good or if Ke2, then Bg4 check queen gone.

[@1cathexis]

You seem to have this great knack for taking the tremendous complexity of chess and turning it into a straightforward exercise in personal effort and plain common sense. You turn "mystery" into practical knowledge. You make improvement a reachable goal that is better than every other coach out there. You are appreciated. BIG thanks for your efforts!

[@DarkChess01]

Thank you Igor for free tips again 👏

[@permortenkjl4281]

Best chess channel on KZbin, thank you Igor!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

► Chapters 00:00 Insane Chess TRAP in the Italian Game 00:42 Bg5 Pin after Black castles 01:08 Similar to the Fishing Pole Trap 01:44 If Black plays Ng4 03:06 If Black plays Nh7 05:04 Quiz for intermediates and advanced players

[@dragosantrach6283]

It is very interesting that in most traps in the Italian Game, he who Castles 1st is subject to Bg5 pin and the King Side attack of some kind. Lesson learned to wait for castle by the opponent to pin. Likewise prophylactic h6 and h3 is often played. So many nuances in this old openning. Fascinating.

[@Ubuntu196]

At 5:20, what’s wrong with Qh5: Then Black will play Bxf2+ If, Kxf2 then fxg6+ loses the Q for white If, Kf1 then Ne3+ followed by Ke2 (only legal move) followed by Bg4 forking the K and Q. Further, if Kd1, the Bg4+ (forking K and Q), if Qxg4 then Ne3 forking K and Q. Further, if Kd2, then black will give perpetual checks at Be3 and Bf2 leading to draw.

[@RodentK1ng]

Thank youuu

[@Fishy_17]

Incorrect. If Kd2 there is Qxg5!! Qxg5 Be3+ Qxe3 Nxe3 Kxe3 and black is up a piece and winning. No need to go for a draw.

[@hypercubemaster2729]

I love how I wrote practically the same thing in greater detail earlier than them and they get the credit. Also, their 4th continuation is wrong due to Qxg5+! instead of perpetual.

[@Fishy_17]

@@hypercubemaster2729Your comment doesn’t exist is why.

[@RodentK1ng]

@@hypercubemaster2729 a) you didn't comment B) even if you did that doesn't mean he copied you

[@Factastic2128]

Nice video

[@tastethem]

GM Smirnov you make it look so easy! Thanks to your videos I have beefed up my Italian Game (when opponent plays knight c6 if I open Vienna, also thanks to your videos).

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad to hear it

[@raghhuvaranraghavantk3044]

Thank u master....u taught me a good "missile" 4 me ..I will try it..

[@basilispirris5010]

Amazing content as always

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad you liked it!

[@Zamiroh]

I only briefly looked at your challenge. Just spent last 3 hrs playing! I didnt figure out whole combo but it certainly starts with bf2

[@reydemayo8906]

God bless coach .

[@michaelwatkins8871]

Thank you for another great video! There appears to be a few variations that are detrimental to white in the puzzle at the end. Ones is 1. Bxf2+ Kf1 2. Ke3+ Ke2 3. Kd4+ Kf3 4. Bg4+ (forks the king and queen) White loses the queen. Another is 1. Bxf2+ Kxf2 2. fxg6+. (checks the king and attacks white's queen) White loses the queen. There are more variations but I haven't thought them all through 🤯

[@yuurai]

The italian is my main opening that I play for black and white thank you so much!

[@stevelenores5637]

You got me to click on to this one as right now the Quiet Game is my main weapon in speed chess. I intentionally slow the game down and Magnus the endgames. Most players don't know how to play end games beyond the basics.

[@lutherbandos1091]

Freakin g6! Is the move I’ve been missing this entire time. I always calculate the knight fork and shy away cause, ya know, I “need” my queen

[@BobChess]

Who would thought that you will destroy them when the position looks peaceful.

[@sranbasaric3601]

1. ....Lf2:+2.Kf2: fg6;+ black wins 1..... Lf2:+2,Ke2 Sf4+ black wins queen and wins 1. Lf2:+ 2.Kd2 Dg5:+ and Le3 black wins 1,.....Lf2:+ 2. Kd1 Lg4+ and Se3 So the only and strongest move is Th8+

[@niravapurv4578]

And 1.Lxf2+, Kf1, 2.Ne3+, if Kxf2 then again fxg6+(royal fork) if Ke2 then again Bg4+(royal fork). Very nice, then allright variations are covered.

[@pedrojromero]

Hi, I like to suggest a quicker way for checkmate. After pawns exchange at f7, knight to g6 followed by rook at h8 (two moves instead of five for checkmate)

[@tarunkumarrajput9154]

No this will not work, After Kng6, Qh4, Rxh4, Bf2 fork king and rook.

[@kwanxin9506]

Bxf2. 1. If king takes bishop, fxg6 u get discovered check plus u take the queen. 2. If Kd1, Bg4, Qxg4, Ne3 forks the king and queen. 3. If Kd2, Qxg5, Qxg5, Be3 forks the king and queen. 4. If Kf1, Ne3, Ke2, Bg4 forks the king and queen. 5. If Ke2, Nf4 forks the king and queen

[@CrazyGaming-ig6qq]

According to Chess while Bc5 is popular, many will take Nxe4 which is the better move. And then much fewer of those Bc5 players will then castle in the position causing Bg5 to not lead to the trap. Black can also play d6 which seems like a natural move to defend e5, which then stops Whites Nxe5. Whites h4 trap move sacrificing the bishop also leads to a pretty bad position for White, and if Black plays d5 also blocks Whites bishop late in the trap setup. which again leaves White in a terrible position. So it's a dangerous gamble for White. I guess it's just something to be aware of if you want to try something fun in those few percentages of italian games where Black both Bc5, castles and no d6 or d5? Please enlighten me if I misunderstand something about this.

[@BlazingTorch1517]

Probably play p-d3 first

[@MajorAddiction]

Very good tip at the end why Qh5 there is the wrong order 5:19

[@Redbirds1100]

You are so awesome

[@manojshirsat1864]

Sir you and your channel My amazing ❤❤

[@pettym3]

5:30 knight f6, then sac the bishop on f2, after he recaptures with the queen you can take the knight on g file

[@alanmccormick6911]

If Nf6, Qh8#. Black is already up two pieces. I believe Bxf2+! works first. If Kxf2, hxg6+ winning the Queen.

[@josephsalmonte4995]

It's the fishing pole trap for white pretty much 👍

[@dupito-7588]

Thanks that you share with us a trap, in which you are actually losing, if they don't fall for it( don't take the f2 pawn with the knight)

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

Another variation of this comes if instead of Nxd1 in the first variation, black plays Nxe5. White has now lost a knight that was necessary for the described mating sequence, plus the knight on e5 attacks white's bishop on c4 while simultaneously adding a defender to the f7 pawn. However, white easily wins with the same pattern shown in the last variation: Rh8+ Kxh8, Qh5+ with mate on the next move. Also in the first variation, if after white plays Nxe5, black can give his king a bit of air with Re8, but that falls to another mating combination. White plays gxf7 Kf8, Ng6 mate. This is definitely a trap I am going to spend some time working on and will use it at the first opportunity.

[@Chaosweaver33]

Пане Ігор, дякую вам за таку величезну кількість матеріалів. Дуже цікаво дивитись і навчатися разом :) Слава Україні!

[@alnitaka]

At 0:35 what if Black plays 4...Nxe4? If 5. Nxe4, then Black plays 5...d5 and winds up with a pawn controlling two important center squares.

[@elrodtherocker]

You are right! White should go d3 first if he wants to go for this. Funny thing is there is a very good video in this same channel going all over Nxe4.

[@hoaidannguyen-ks3yd]

Wow nc trap

[@adelgado2367]

Thanks for the videos, GM Smirnov! One personal question, if I may: with everything that's going on with Ukraine, where are you based? Best regards!

[@frankbeerbaum5593]

Bxf2+! var.1: Kxf2 fxg7+ wins the wQ (K moves and: gxh5 or Qf3 and Rxf3). var.2: Kf1: Ne3+ Kxf2 (and var.1) or Ke2 Bg4+ wins wQ (Qxg4 Nxf4). var.3: Ke2 Nf4+ and after K moves: Nxh5

[@danielmaslinski3166]

Bxf2+, Kd2, Qxg5+, Qxg5, Be3+, Nxe3, gxf7+, Rxf7, Kxe3. Black is +3

[@NakshKaplish]

How to counter paris defence from white please

[@stevens6595]

What happens if after Kg4, the opponent plays Bf2 instead of Kf2?

[@johnstevenson9956]

I studied this intently and my very next game was sure enough, the Italian. However, his early move to H6 brought my Bishop move to G5 to a screeching halt. So, I'm going back to the drawing board to see what I can do about that.

[@davew4304]

I get fewer and fewer successful traps from players who have much lower rating than their play. Almost everyone is using an opening database every single game as of late. 😔

[@noxcho3672]

4:09 what if black knight goes g5 whats the best reply?

[@andersjonsson8403]

Wow! Soo nice trap! Thanks a lot Igor! 😊👍♟

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thanks!

[@pradipkoley9183]

Igor sir,here the best way to win here is by Playing the most forcing moves .B*f2 is the saving move

[@robertpease9834]

at 34 seconds you say play NC3, but according to your previous lessons, if they play that, I just play NxE4, that way when they NxN, I play D5 forking the N & B.

[@coed3207]

after Nf6 Nc3 they ALWAYS do Nxe4 wanting to double attack bishop and knight next move and making this strat almost unplayable. How do I counter it?

[@aneima]

5:30 bf2+

[@odoakaksh420lAowKwh]

Bf2 because you either mate or win the qween I think

[@artichoke60045]

I think the way out of the trap is after Bg5 h6; h4, to play Be7! White has overextended his h pawn, and now Black can afford to move his bishop back to a more passive position, killing White's threat of Nd5. If White plays Qd2 to castle long and threaten Bxh6, then hxg5 is likely OK because white can't play Qh5 in one shot. Black can continue normal development with d6, Be6 or maybe Bg4, and eventually White will wish he had better control of the kingside light squares. I'd only try this trap if I had practiced the position after Be7 and found a way to be not too unhappy as White.

[@seembeamcheem]

taking the knight is the best move, this fishing pole trap is kind of a bluff after pawn takes, Ng4! believe it or not is the best move. after g6, we do not capture the pawn on h7, but instead play d5!, and after a certain amount of complications black will be up a piece (worst case scenario), you can go analyse this postion yourself

[@leagueaddict8357]

@@seembeamcheem No lol, if you take it you get in major trouble, I play the Italian all the time, if you take it ends up with your knight being blocked out, and then being forcibly exchanged because the white bishop is PINNING your pawn to the black king, the knight simply has no squares white will win it, and bring the queen into the H file black is going to lose quickly in such a case, I play The Italian as white and I'm stronger than most players.

[@seembeamcheem]

@@leagueaddict8357 its the top engine line

[@katriandmaddie1456]

Hi Igor, So i was playing someone and I did this trap but instead of taking my Black Bishop with there h pawn, They attacked my White bishop with there knight on a5.. Im sure we cant do this trap without the white bishop? Please help!

[@dragosantrach6283]

As Igor said before "to take is a mustake". Thus, Black does not play 9...Nxf2 but 9...d5. Remeber what Igor thought us about getting that d5 move in ASAP. After 9...d5, White has to take on d5 with Knight, best move, 10.Nxd5 Bxf2+ then wins for Black. At least that looks like the best line per Stockfish, because Black will end up a piece up in all lines. Is this correct?

[@dragosantrach6283]

Sorry, if 10. Nxd5 Nxf2... if 10. Bxd5 Bxf2+. Etc...

[@seembeamcheem]

if stockfish says its right, then its right, no further questions needed

[@tonybeatbutcher]

Black check Bishop f2 capture Pawn, if king capture Bishop back Pawn f7 go g6 check capture Queen.

[@gezegenekonusanadam7605]

Nf6

[@pamelahuett5215]

Knight f6 should do the job.

[@aradani3]

0:34 "you just Nc3" 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 If you do 4.Nc3 instead of 4.d3 then black has 4... Nxd4 5.Nxd4 then black has d5!

[@Zain-nc1ww]

Why don't you show the best way for the opponent to play? Maybe Nxf2 is the most natural move but after Bxf2 black is the one attacking while still a piece up; it's -2. As beautiful as the checkmate in the Nxf2 variation is, it's just misleading beginners to reccomend this as a sound trap.

[@prplt]

won't work against me tho as I only play the Rousseau gambit 😂

[@TheChaseCard-xb1ss]

No matter how much a learn, the computer keeps beating me in expert category...?

[@YogeshRikhari]

2:30 can't we just sac the rook by giving the check to the black king and then bringing the queen to give check to the Black's king and then finally delivering a mate

[@Danthemanfromny]

Often the opponent does not play the Italian game back. They do e5 or Nf6 instead. Clocks ticking. Prepare students for that please.

[@kkagari]

Oh no, the O face epidemic has gotten to Igor!

[@mb59621]

Italian game is actually the most common opening played by the bulk of chess players online . Yet there is not much content about how to play it properly.

[@Danthemanfromny]

That's in another video in the series.

[@PrinceArt77]

white game needs to be consistent in order to pull off this trap. the moment white missed a variation, he's doomed.

[@narenpi7220]

Nd5 to f6

[@vcvartak7111]

Bf2- and any king move will eventually white will loose the queen

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

🎁 Get the new course "Level Up Your Chess" with 50% OFF + more offers (till August 3rd) - online.chess-teacher.com/course/level-up-your-chess/ 💰💲Join the RCA Affiliate Program, promote our courses, and get 50% commission - chess-teacher.com/partnership/

[@stevensutton2252]

DAMN YOU TO hell youre close to my mating pattern where did you find this game lol most players include gms dont know or recognize my mate pattern you found it partially ive nailed a few people with it lol ?????? please respond ha ha ha i was taught by gm from 1960s pike his name lol they got from raul castleblanca+ lasker game from looking at position and long calculation he taught me this in 1980s and most international masters from russia i play were like WHAT AN 6 YEAR OLD CHECKMATED ME im from the usa and they taught me some defenses like petrov and queens pawn game im the person who asked rosen to play the stafford gambit to help him with his center game play so i guest im a OG still wondering where you found these game ha ha ha

[@kingexcess10]

00:42 what if Nb4 instead of 0-0

[@arkzbh]

About the puzzle: Im a very low rated player, thought about bf2+, but could not find any continuation from there. Now when you flipped the board, I can probably see it. Couldn't find completely, but i think Qf6/bg4/ne3 combo somehow saves the day. Am I at the right track?

[@cronoscraiss330]

Don't know it.. first I thought you would be wrong, and fxg6 is the way to go.. but due to the knight it doesn't save the king - it would be still mate... So your move is the only one I could think of being the right one, cause it is somehow a forcing continuation..

[@christophpeter8735]

nope its nf6

[@christophpeter8735]

ups its not nf6, it is bxf2, kxf2 and than pawn takes g6 with a check to win the queen, f___ing crazy

[@RizaBochiza]

@@christophpeter8735 if nf6 then qh8 checkmate

[@arkzbh]

@@cronoscraiss330 yeah, when getting mated 3 times over, the only option is checking the op king. Forcing move

[@bhawanabhu]

Stockfish says h4 is blunder

[@kylebecker9]

It’s a losing trap if black plays correctly

[@Wolfsspinne]

Isn't that what all traps and gambits are about: playing hope chess?

[@DragonzPlay]

No

[@kylebecker9]

@@Wolfsspinne No there are lots of tactics that are trappy but don’t leave you in a losing position

[@hypercubemaster2729]

​@@kylebecker9True.

[@goodvibez598]

​@@Wolfsspinneno not really....it's hope if it's a blunder in disguise of a trap

[@kramareva7446]

Bf2!! I love this winning strategy for the Italian game.. I have now reached 1600+ rating from 1k-1200 on Rapid because of your videos and the Italian Game is my favorite opening for White!! Thanks GM Igor... Now my target is to reach 2000+ rating..😊😊

[@raymondlego1701]

Sorry but the line with ... hxg5 is winning for black on the spot .. after hxg5 Ng4 , g6 , d5 !!! .. you end up a piece down for nothing computer says - 3.78 for white ,,, best is Nxd5 after Bxf2+ Kf1 ... - 4.69 ... white is totaly losing ... Also on the Nh7 line after g6 Nf6 is the worst answer Best is Ng5 ...

[@NickolayGrin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWbOoKGentqrmck instead of Nf2 black have to move d5, and it is hard for white even to draw

[@cknafsal]

Then queen will go to rook file and black can't defend

[@laszlokorosi9012]

@@cknafsal No time for that. The c4 bishop is shut off, the knight on g4 defended and white can't defend f2. White is busted. It's an unsound trap.

[@nicolaeciuca2532]

Bishop takes f2 wins the game

[@kurtkaufmann4553]

Igor, why don’t you talk about 9…d5! after 9.g6? White is losing! You gotta mention that!

[@euroserver3930]

💪♟️💎♟️

[@narenpi7220]

Sorry Bc6×f2 check then Q to f6ch thenQ×g6

[@niravapurv4578]

Followd by Qh8# white wins :)