Ruy Lopez, Noah's Ark Trap 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. 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 "as old as Noah's Ark". Even chess masters have occasionally fallen victim to this trap. An example is a game between Endre Steiner
Ruy Lopez move there are many reasonable alternatives, and most have been deeply explored. It is convenient to divide the possibilities into two groups based on whether or not Black responds with (3...a6), which is named the Morphy Defence after Paul Morphy, although he was not the originator of the line. The variations with Black moves other than 3...a6 are older and generally simpler, but the Morphy Defence lines are more commonly played. By far the most commonly played third move for Black is the Morphy Defence, 3...a6, which "puts the question" to the white bishop. The main point of 3...a6 is