Trapping a piece

Chess tactics

How do you trap a piece in chess?

A trapped piece is attacked and has no safe square to go to. Bishops and knights on the edge, queens that wander too far and rooks in the corner are the most common victims. You win the piece even if it is defended, because it can only be captured for less.

How to spot it
  • Look at the squares an attacked piece could escape to. Are they all covered by your pieces?
  • Cut off the retreat first, then attack: a quiet move that takes away the last square is often the key.
  • Pieces on the rim and pieces deep in enemy territory have the fewest squares.
A common mistake

Attacking the piece before taking away its escape squares. It just walks away.

Try it: real puzzles
Example 1: Black to move
Show the solution

9... Bd6 10. Qxd6 Qxd6

Example 2: Black to move
Show the solution

22... Bf8 23. Qxe5 Rxe5

Example 3: White to move
Show the solution

30. Nc3 Bxf3 31. gxf3

Example 4: Black to move
Show the solution

51... Kd2 52. fxe4 Kxe1

Train trapped piece puzzles in ChessPeak

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