(1489) CHESS TRAPS -- HOW TO AVOID FALLING FOR THEM (TBN-March 12, 2018)

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PRR BUFFET PROMO

                   Eight employees of Palau Royal Resort took advantage of its dinner buffet promo every Monday, Wed. and Sat. at Waves Restaurant where I play instrumental international piano music every night except Sun. from 7-9pm and another 2 hours of keyboard music at Breeze Bar from 9-11pm. Except for Ella Asuncion, 5^th from left, who showed interest to be in the 2018 Palau Chess Team to Batumi, Georgia, all the other 7 are first timers to be featured here at Chess Mate. They are (L-R) Wilson Ledesma, Elmo Venegas, Aladin Armada, Ivana Bautista, Christine Divino, Roberto Hernandez, Lea Asuncion and Jayson Valdez.    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

     CHESS TRAPS -- HOW TO AVOID

           FALLING FOR THEM

            Chess traps are always fun and exciting as long as you’re the one who sets it and it’s even more fun if your opponent falls into your trap. However, things are different when a trap is set for you. How to identify the traps that your opponent sets for you, so that you can avoid falling for them?

           FM Marko Makaj will teach you how to foresee the traps set by your opponent and avoid them, by showing traps like Cambridge Springs from the Queens Gambit, the Mortimer Trap from the Berlin Defense, and the Blackburne Trap (or the Legal Trap)

Here are a few important things to remember about chess traps:

1.      Traps are often led by a sacrifice.

2.      When your opponent sacrifices a pawn or a piece, ask yourself why he/she played that and what’s the idea behind it.

3.       After that, try to identify whether it’s really a trap or simply a blunder (wrong sacrifice).

4.      Trust yourself – if you don’t see a trap, then don’t be afraid to accept the sacrifice from your opponent.

Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 4373: 1. …Qxg2+!! 2. Nxg2 Nf3+ 3. Kh1 Rxh2#

This week’s puzzle No. 4374: Black to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               Pages 9-10

               Volume 27

               Issue 22

               March 12, 2018

              Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

              The Beginning of Chess in Palau

              By Roberto Hernandez

              Soon to be published as a book

              Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

              Tia Belau Newspaper

              March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

              http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

              April 25, 2013 -- March 12, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau 

              By Roberto Hernandez

              June 09, 2002 -- March 12, 2018