Queen's Gambit Declined, Rubinstein Trap

Euwe–Rubinstein, 1928

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White wins a pawn with 13.Nxd5

The Rubinstein Trap is a chess opening trap in the Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense. Black loses a pawn after Nxd5 due to the threat of his queen being trapped on the back rank by White's Bc7. (See diagram. The black queen would be attacked by a white bishop while being hemmed in by its own pieces.)

History

The trap takes its name from Akiba Rubinstein, who had the misfortune of falling into it twice, in the games Euwe–Rubinstein, Bad Kissingen 1928, and Alekhine–Rubinstein, San Remo 1930. Rubinstein was not the first to fall victim to the trap, as the first recorded game featuring the trap is Amos Burn–Heinrich Wolf, Ostend 1905.

Euwe–Rubinstein, Bad Kissingen 1928:
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. d4 Nf6 (transposing into the Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense) 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nc3 0-0 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 a6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. 0-0 Re8 11. Qb3 h6 12. Bf4 Nh5? (see diagram; Black falls into the trap) 13. Nxd5 (now Black will lose a pawn after 13...Nxf4 14.Nxf4, or more, after 13...cxd5 14.Bc7 – the black queen is trapped on the back rank by her own pieces).

References

• Winter, Edward (2003). A Chess Omnibus. Russell Enterprises. ISBN 1-888690-17-8.

• Winter, Edward. "The Rubinstein Trap". chesshistory.com. Retrieved 2008-11-23.