Domination: Trapping Pieces
Domination, restricting an enemy piece to the point where it has no useful moves or is completely trapped, is one of chess's most satisfying strategic and tactical themes. A trapped piece is worse than a piece that's been exchanged, because it occupies a square and serves as a constant liability. This guide covers the techniques for achieving domination.
Types of domination
- Complete trapping: The piece has no legal moves that don't result in its loss. Common with bishops trapped behind enemy pawns and knights trapped on the edge.
- Functional restriction: The piece has legal moves but no useful ones, it's limited to squares where it serves no purpose.
- Exchange forced: The piece can only save itself by trading for something less valuable.
- Positional domination: The piece is so restricted that it's effectively "out of the game" for many moves.
Common trapping patterns
- Bishop traps: The Noah's Ark trap (bishop trapped on b3 by pawns on a4, b5, c4) is the most famous. Also: bishops trapped on h7 after Bxh7+ Kxh7 when the knight can't escape.
- Knight traps: Knights on the edge are easily trapped, Na5 can be trapped by b4, c6.
- Rook traps: Rooks that venture into enemy territory without an escape route.
- Queen traps: Queens that enter the enemy position to win material but can't escape. See Strategic Mistakes.
Creating domination
- Restrict the piece's movement, control the squares around it with pawns and pieces.
- Cut off escape routes, place pieces on the key exit squares.
- Close the position, if a piece is already restricted, closing the position (especially with pawns) makes the restriction permanent.
- Exchange its supporting pieces, pieces that defend the trapped piece or open escape routes. See Creating Weaknesses.
Avoiding domination of your own pieces
- Before placing a piece on an advanced square, ask: "How does it get out?"
- Don't advance pieces without support. A lone piece deep in enemy territory is vulnerable.
- Keep escape routes open.
- Be especially careful with bishops, they're the most commonly trapped piece. Study your own games for moments where a piece became restricted, and learn from those patterns.