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The Ponziani is the main opening I used as White when I climbed from 1600 USCF to eventually 2130 over about three years. My coach GM Alex Wojtkiewicz (R.I.P.) suggested it as an easy way to trip up class players who likely don't have time to study this somewhat obscure opening and figure they'll just play it over the board if they encounter it. Unfortunately for them, the "natural" moves are the wrong ones and they can easily fall into some traps. This opening is also good for online blitz and bullet games for the same reason.
This is a discussion of a trap in the Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defense. This is an important trap to know because it shows what happens if Black tries to hold the center in the Steinitz. When Tarrasch beat Marco in 1892, it signaled the beginning of the end for the Old Steinitz Defense. Today the Neo-Steinitz, 3...a6 4.Ba4 d6, is much more popular because it avoids the trap in this video.

A discussion of Lasker's Trap, which shows up in the Albin Countergambit to the Queen's Gambit. I had to use WinBoard for this lecture because PGNMentor does not allow me to promote my pawn to a knight.

It is one of my favorite opening traps; in the 2000 Chicago Open I won two games with it. ... chess pullin' torre attack ...

How to reach a position in 4 moves ... Chess Opening Problem Reach a position in 5 moves ...

Bird's Opening Chess Game. A Good Game by me at the LPO Chess Tournament in winston-Salem , NC 7-27-2008 ... chess instruction ...

Opening..." video where I go over a couple more lines of the Ponziani, as well as black's main refutation. ... ponziani ...

The Polish Opening, or Orangutan, is used as a surprise weapon in tournament chess to avoid standard opening theory. Don't let it surprise you. End the monkey business with 1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.a3 b5! I didn't invent the move 3...b5!, as far as I know IM Angelo Young did, but I've been using it ever since I saw his game against my former high school teammate FM Florin Felecan. Any Polish fans who feel I am mis-evaluating a position in this video, feel free to leave a comment...

This video explores the Mortimer Trap which is attributed to the player James Mortimer. This trap can be played by black in the Ruy Lopez opening. If white falls for the trap, the white player will be subject to a positional nightmare.

This video explores the Magnus Smith Trap, coined after the three time Canadian Chess Champion Magnus Smith. It's a trap that white can play in the Sozin (also known as Fischer variation) of the Sicilian Defence.

This video looks at a possible trapping line played by black in the King's Gambit Declined. The trap offers up a free pawn to the white player that has devastating consequences if taken. The video also covers white's best option to avoid the trapping lines and create a comfortable position from which to work from.

This video looks at a possible trapping line played by black in the Queen's Gambit Declined. The trap offers up a free pawn to the white player that has horrible consequences if taken. The video also covers what black should play if white does not fall for the trap, including the Cambridge Spring and Orthodox defense lines.

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