ChessRanger
Tactics

Trapped piece

A piece with no safe squares — it can be hunted down and won for little or nothing.

A piece is trapped when every square it could move to is covered, so it can be attacked and captured even though it isn't pinned. Bishops that grab a wing pawn (…Bxh2, Bxa7) are the classic victims — one move to attack them and there's no way out.

Trapping runs on restriction: you take away flight squares first, then bring an attacker. Knights on the rim and greedy bishops are the pieces to watch, for you and against you.

Why it matters

Winning a whole piece for a pawn usually decides the game — recognising a trap (or avoiding walking into one) is worth more than most opening theory.

The mistake everyone makes

Snatching a poisoned pawn with a bishop or knight and only then counting the escape squares, when there are none.

Related terms

Restriction
Limiting the mobility of an enemy piece — especially a knight — before you attack it.
En prise
A piece left undefended where it can be captured for free.
Domination
Trapping a piece that has many squares but nowhere safe to go.
Combination
A forcing sequence of moves — usually with a sacrifice — that wins by force.

See Trapped piece in your own games

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