SECOND VARIANT
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Nf6
4.Ng5 d5
5.exd5 Nxd5
6.Nxf7 Kxf7
7.Qh5+
Some GM once said "3...Nf6 just loses a pawn!!" But history may be the judge of that...
The first one rarely happens. Unless one is totally clueless, (s)he would have easily have found 4...d5. 4...Bc5?! is interesting but the following moves played by Black didn't show the same spirit (chess aficionados know what this counter-gambit is called).
Then in the second variation White is just dilly-dallying. Qf3+ instead of Qh5+ was more direct. The beginner should, instead of taking with the knight, play 5...Na5 chopping the Bishop.
In the third one, I fail to see any "traps". Black is solid.
that's absurd.
OK, let me state first that I don't have a high opinion of these "traps," since black is fine in most of them (and I think well ahead in #2, though I agree with pinkerton's remark about the value of ...Na5 in that situation).
But, beginners (and the more experienced!) will be faced many times by the combination of a Bc4 and Ng5 coordinating on f7. For this reason, always remember to consider ...d5 in these positions. It breaks the bishop's hold on f7 and gives black some initiative. Each game is different, of course; but ...d5 should be top on your list of candidate moves to consider.
But, beginners (and the more experienced!) will be faced many times by the combination of a Bc4 and Ng5 coordinating on f7. For this reason, always remember to consider ...d5 in these positions. It breaks the bishop's hold on f7 and gives black some initiative. Each game is different, of course; but ...d5 should be top on your list of candidate moves to consider.
That's true, and important, but if the bishop and knight have already been developed in such a situation, then probably best is simply to castle.
Trap in giuoco piano:
I must be missing something, but I don't see how to get black's queen without losing the bishop and rook in the process, which wouldn't seem to be much of an advantage.
Is giving up 2 rooks and a bishop really worth a queen and a knight? Or am I just not seeing the whole picture?
I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. I've been dominating amongst my friends and family in our little corner of the world for the past couple years, and I've not been evolving much at all as a player simply because I haven't needed to. But now that I get out here in the real world and look at some of these puzzles, it's becoming clear I'm kind of an idiot.
Has three variants(4 if you count idiot's trap) and is very effective.
FIRST VARIANT
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4 Nf6
4.Ng5 Bc5
5.Nxf7! Qe8
6.Nxh8!