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The Fishing Pole Trap
The Fishing Pole is one of the most satisfying traps in chess. It occurs most often in the Ruy Lopez when Black plays an early ...Ng4. White, thinking Black has blundered a piece, plays h3 to kick the knight. Instead of moving, Black supports it with ...h5. If White captures, the h-file opens, and checkmate follows swiftly.
🕸️ Trap Alert: The Fishing Pole works because it exploits "greed." White sees a free knight but misses the lethal open file. Learn the pattern to crush careless opponents—or spot it before you take the bait!
Full Move-by-Move Diagrams
This example follows the most common setup in the Ruy Lopez (Berlin Defence). Watch how quickly White's position collapses after taking the piece.
🎣 The Core Idea: Black parks a knight on g4.
When White attacks it with h3, Black plays ...h5 (The Bait).
If White captures (hxg4), Black recaptures with the pawn (hxg4), opening the h-file for the Rook. The Queen joins the attack, and mate becomes unstoppable.
If White captures (hxg4), Black recaptures with the pawn (hxg4), opening the h-file for the Rook. The Queen joins the attack, and mate becomes unstoppable.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Ng4!? 5.h3 h5! 6.hxg4? hxg4 7.Ne1 Qh4
Note: After Qh4, White cannot stop mate on h2 or h1.
1. The Setup (Ruy Lopez)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O. A standard Berlin Defence setup. White has castled safely... or so they think.
2. The Intruder (...Ng4)
Black jumps the knight to g4. This looks premature. White usually thinks: "I'll just kick it away."
3. The Kick (h3)
White plays natural logic: "Get out of here!" The trap is now armed.
4. The Bait (...h5!)
THE KEY MOVE. Black ignores the threat. The knight is the "worm" on the fishing hook.
5. Taking the Bait? (hxg4?)
White captures the piece. "Free knight!" But now the trap springs shut.
6. The Open File (...hxg4)
Black recaptures with the pawn. Two things happen:
1. The white knight on f3 is attacked.
2. The h-file is OPEN for Black's rook.
1. The white knight on f3 is attacked.
2. The h-file is OPEN for Black's rook.
7. Retreat (Ne1)
The white knight must move to save itself. But this clears the path for Black's Queen.
8. Game Over (...Qh4)
Crushing. Black threatens mate on h2 or h1. White has no way to defend. Resignation time.
How to Defend (Don't Bite!)
- Identify the Bait: If you see ...Ng4 followed by ...h5, DO NOT CAPTURE the knight immediately.
- Ignore the Intruder: Play moves like c3 or d3. Leave the knight on g4. It looks scary, but it does nothing if the file stays closed.
- Calculate the File: Before taking a piece on the edge, always check: "Does this open a line for their Rook?"
⚡ Chess Tactics Guide – Stop Missing Winning Moves (0–1600)
This page is part of the Chess Tactics Guide – Stop Missing Winning Moves (0–1600) — Most games under 1400 are decided by simple tactics. Learn how to spot forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks, deflections, and mating threats before your opponent does — and stop losing winning positions to missed opportunities.
⚠ Stop Hanging Pieces – The Loose Pieces Drop Off Guide (0–1600)
This page is part of the Stop Hanging Pieces – The Loose Pieces Drop Off Guide (0–1600) — Tired of losing pieces for free? Learn the simple 5-second safety scan that prevents hanging pieces, stops avoidable blunders, and builds reliable board awareness in every position.