B21 · Opening trap · Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
Siberian Trap
The Siberian Trap: in the Smith-Morra Gambit, 9.h3?? allows 9...Nd4 and White loses the queen or is mated on h2.
Set byBlack
Losing move9.h3? → 9...Nd4!
Named after players from Novosibirsk who worked it out. Black sets up a queen on c7 and a knight on g4, both looking at h2, and waits for White to chase the knight.
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How the Siberian Trap works
Click a card to see it on the board, then play the punishment yourself.
How often does it work?
Counted in real rated Lichess games, not estimated.
Among players rated 1800 and higher, 9.h3? was played in 1,142 of the games our puzzles are drawn from. Strong players fall for it too.
How to avoid the Siberian Trap
What White should play instead.
Now spot it in a real game
Knowing a trap by name is not the same as seeing it at the board. Solve positions from real games until the pattern fires by itself.
Siberian Trap
Getting there…9.h3 attacks the knight but does nothing for h2. 9...Nd4! hits the queen and the knight on f3, the only defender of h2. If 10.Nxd4, then 10...Qh2 is mate; otherwise White loses the queen.