What is the Lasker Trap in the Albin Countergambit? After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3, White's tempting 6.Bxb4? loses to 6...exf2+, and the pawn promotes to a knight with check. Stockfish 18 rates the result at -5.4 for White. Only one of White's 30 legal moves is safe: 6.fxe3.
The trap
- d4 d5
- c4 e5
- dxe5 d4
- e3 Bb4+
- Bd2 dxe3
- Bxb4? exf2+
- Ke2 fxg1=N+
- Rxg1 Bg4+
The pawn on e3 attacks both d2 and f2. Taking the bishop on b4 ignores the pawn, which captures on f2 with check and then takes the knight on g1, promoting to a knight, not a queen. A knight promotion with check wins the exchange, because a queen on g1 would be taken by the rook. After 8...Bg4+ White is lost: about -7.7.
The safe move
6.fxe3. It removes the dangerous pawn at once. The position is then about equal (-0.3, a small edge for Black, as the Albin intends). The next best move, 6.Qa4+, already loses 1.8 pawns, and the rest lose more.
Safe line: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3 6.fxe3 Qh4+ 7.g3 Qe4 8.Nf3 Bxd2+ 9.Nbxd2 Qxe3+ 10.Qe2
How often it appears
| Rating | Games with the position (per 10,000) | White fell | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1000 | 0.9 | 0 of 19 | 19 |
| 1000–1399 | 2.3 | 3% | 176 |
| 1400–1799 | 6.2 | 3% | 756 |
| 1800+ | 11.1 | 1% | 959 |
| All ratings | 6.2 | 2.1% | 1,910 |
Source: 3,062,092 rated Lichess games, September 2026. Two things stand out. The Albin is played more as players get stronger, from 1 game in 10,000 under 1000 to 1 in 900 at 1800+. And almost nobody falls: 40 of 1,910 games. When White did fall, Black scored 81%.
For a Black player the Lasker Trap is a pleasant extra but not a reason to play the Albin: it won the game in 21 of the 1,910 times the position was reached, about 1 in 90.
Rule to remember
A pawn on your second rank can promote with check. When a pawn is that close, deal with it before taking a piece.
Practise it
The free Trap Lab Lasker Trap drill shows all 30 moves with their cost. Then you play Black and finish the promotion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Lasker Trap? A trap in the Albin Countergambit where White takes a bishop on b4 and Black replies exf2+, then promotes to a knight with check.
How do you avoid the Lasker Trap? Play 6.fxe3, capturing the dangerous pawn. It is the only one of 30 legal moves that stays within a pawn of the best.
Is the Albin Countergambit sound? Stockfish 18 gives Black about 0.3 of a pawn after 6.fxe3, so it is playable.
Want your child to see the pawn that is about to promote? Book a free 30-minute trial class with our FIDE-rated coaches.
