Today's installment from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard includes the well known "Goose Walk" trap. No doubt you're familiar with it, so try your luck and see if you can work it out over the board. The lesson is rounded out with a trap in the Ayrshire Lassie opening. Clicking on Read More is no trap, though; it will show you Willie's solutions to these interesting and practical positions.

Here's what Willie has to say.

The Goose Walk

Still another first-round knockout that has tripped many a tyro is the deady Goose Walk, a favorite coup de grace of the experts for over 150 years. It is also known as the "Old Farmer," but by any name it's dynamite to the neophyte. Here's the run-up:

11-15 22-18---A 15-22 25-18 8-11 29-25 4-8 24-20 10-15 25-22 12-16 27-24---B. See the diagram.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W32,31,30,28,26,24,23,22,21,20,18:B16,15,11,9,8,7,6,5,3,2,1.

A---This trade-off identifies the single corner opening. More play has been published on it than on any other lead-off. It makes an even game.

B---This and 28-24 lose, allowing the Goose Walk, first shown by William Payne in 1756. The correct moves are: 21-17, 8-12, 17-13, etc.

An Old Lassie Catch

Ever since 1800, champions have been baiting beginners with the snap-trap on the Ayrshire Lassie opening outlined on the next page. Every learner has to become familiar with the basic ideas behind these elementary snares if he hopes to reach the expert class.

11-15 24-20 8-11 28-24 4-8 23-19 15-18 22-15 11-18 26-22 7-11 22-15 11-18 30-26 8-11 26-22---A See the diagram.

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Win

B:W32,31,29,27,25,24,22,21,20,19:B18,12,11,10,9,6,5,3,2,1.

A---The bad one. The correct moves are: 25-22, 18-25, 29-22, 11-15, 27-23, 9-13, 32-28, 6-9, 19-16, 12-19, 23-16, 9-14, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 2-6, 26-23, 10-15, 19-10, 6-15, 16-11, 1-6, 31-27, 6-9, 11-7, 3-10, 27-24, 15-18, 22-6, 14-17, 21-14, 9-27, ending in a draw.

Solutions

The Goose Walk

Proceed:: 15-19, 24-15, 16-19, 23-16, 9-14, 18-9, 11-25, 32-27, 5-14, 27-23, 6-10, 28-24, 8-11, and with black due to crown his piece on 25 in a few moves, white's predicament is hopeless.

An Old Lassie Catch

Continue from diagram: 11-16, 20-11, 3-7, 22-15, 7-23, 27-18, 10-28; black wins.