Ruy Lopez, Mortimer Trap this pitfall had a vogue for many years." Today, 4...Ne7 is rarely seen, and is not mentioned in either "Modern Chess Openings" (which relegates 4.d3 to a footnote, and mentions only 4...d6 in response) or the "Encyclopedia of Chess Openings" (which mentions only 4...d6 and 4...Bc5). Bibliography Ruy Lopez, Mortimer Trap The Mortimer Trap is a chess opening trap in the Ruy Lopez named after James Mortimer. The Mortimer Trap is a true trap in the sense that Black deliberately plays an inferior move hoping to trick White into making a mistake. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Open Game and preparing for d2–d4. Black's most common reply is , which usually leads to the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5), Italian Game (3.Bc4), or Scotch Game (3.d4), though 3.Nc3 Nf6 (the Four Knights Game), often played in the late 19th to early 20th century, or, less commonly, 3...g6 or ...Bb4, (the Three Knights Game), are other possibilities. If Black instead maintains symmetry and counterattacks White's center with then the Petrov's Defense will usually result, though White can avoid the extensive theory of the Petrov by playing 3.Nc3 if he wishes. The Philidor Defence, (2...d6), largely fell out of use after World War