Frag Rattmann, Rattmann hat ...

Every chess player strives to avoid falling into a trap. In addition to being ashamed at the quick defeat, one may easily become the target of fellow-players' mockery. It is interesting that sometimes even grandmasters fall victims of some cunning opening traps. This manual is an essential aid for all those desirous of getting familiar with them. Its IM author makes you acquainted with all the important opening traps, the knowledge of which is something you simply cannot do without.

Foreword

Opening errors and chess traps are closely related. As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to make a distinction between them. One can, of course, say that an opening trap is an opening containing a hidden threat, but the term hidden threat has a different meaning for each person. To some extent this fact signifies the difference in chess knowledge, too. This is why I have not classified the material of this book according to the above. Everyone can decide if the given game is a chess trap or an opening error - if it is worth to deal with it at all. The main thing is to know them. I have tried to collect the most important and frequent types. Besides the old classical instances you can find the fresher ones, too: the crop of the recent 5 years.

The size of the book has, of course, prevented me from recounting all the important errors and traps, The order of games is determined by the openings, on the basis of Encyclopedia (Informator) code System. So it happens that some chess themes are not arranged beside each other, because they can arise from different openings as well.

I wish everyone - apart from sex, age and chess knowledge - to take delight in my book.

I hope that with my compilation I can contribute to the broadening and deepening of the chess knowledge of the readers.

July 2006, Eger

András Meszáros

International Master