Ruy Lopez, Noah's Ark Trap


The Noah's Ark Trap is a chess opening trap in the Ruy Lopez. The name is actually used to describe a family of traps in the Ruy Lopez in which a white bishop is trapped on the b3-square by black pawns.

Discussion

The origin of the name is uncertain. The shape of the black pawns on a6, b5, and c4 may resemble an ark, or the name may suggest that the trap is "".
Even chess masters have occasionally fallen victim to this trap. An example is a game between Endre Steiner and José Capablanca at the Budapest tournament in 1929:
Better moves for White are 5.c3, 5.Bxc6+, and 5.0-0.
Alexander Alekhine recommended this move in the tournament book for New York 1924 as a means for White to draw, but it is a mistake that loses. White should instead play 8.Bd5 or try a gambit with 8.c3.
The white is trapped. White after 32 moves.

In the Sicilian

A variation of this trap can occur in the Sicilian Defence after the moves
The Rossolimo Variation.
4.Bxc6 is necessary and the point of 3.Bb5 itself.
And the bishop is similarly trapped.