Cheap (chess): quick traps, tricks, and practical ideas

Cheap

Definition

In chess slang, “cheap” describes a move, tactic, or plan that aims to win quickly or gain material through a simple trick rather than through sound, long-term strategy. A “cheap” idea often relies on the opponent overlooking a basic tactic or falling into a trap. Related expressions include Cheapo (a tactical trap), Cheap shot (an unsound or borderline unsporting trick), and Trap (a pre-arranged tactical snare). While sometimes used dismissively, “cheap” ideas can be practical and effective, especially in fast time controls.

Usage in Chess

Players use “cheap” in a few common ways:

• “He went for a cheap win” – attempted a quick trap or mate threat banking on a mistake.
• “That was a cheap trick” – a one-move tactic (fork, skewer, back-rank mate) set with little strategic buildup.
• “Don’t get cheaped” – a warning to watch for tricks, especially in blitz or Bullet chess.
• “A bit cheap, but it works” – acknowledging a practical, even if not fully sound, swindle or trap; see Swindle and Hope chess.

Strategic and Historical Significance

“Cheap” tactics are part of chess culture from the Romantic era’s “coffeehouse” style to modern online blitz. Joseph Henry Blackburne popularized traps like the “Blackburne Shilling Gambit,” a classic cheapo against casual opponents—perfect for simuls and skittles. In today’s fast chess, elite players still set practical tricks in Blitz and bullet, where time pressure and Zeitnot increase the likelihood of oversight. A “cheap” idea can flip an objectively worse position, offering valuable practical chances.

Typical “Cheap” Motifs

• Back-rank shots: sudden mates or tactics on the eighth rank.
• Loose piece tactics: forks or skewers against unprotected pieces (see LPDO and Loose).
• Move-order traps in openings: inviting natural moves that blunder material.
• Stalemate tricks and perpetual checks in lost endgames.
• Decoys/deflections to expose a mate or fork (see Decoy and Deflection).
• Quiet setting moves that “look normal” but threaten a one-move catastrophe next turn.

Examples

Example 1 — A classic “cheap mate” idea: the quick queen-and-bishop battery (a.k.a. Scholar’s Mate pattern). Strong players rarely fall for it OTB, but it’s common online and in beginners’ games.

Try the mini demo:

White’s simple setup threatens mate on f7. If Black plays carelessly (…Nf6??), Qxf7# ends the game immediately—a textbook “cheap” finish.

Example 2 — The Blackburne Shilling “cheapo” in the Italian: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4? If White grabs on e5, …Qg5 forks g2 and e5.

This line is dubious for Black with best play, but it’s a famous trap designed to “cheap” unsuspecting players—illustrating that cheap ideas trade objective soundness for surprise value.

Famous and Fun Anecdotes

• “Coffeehouse chess” of the Romantic era often glorified daring, sometimes “cheap,” tactics to entertain spectators.
• Bullet specialists like “Naka” (Hikaru Nakamura) are renowned for setting constant cheapos that exploit speed and pressure—an art form in online blitz.
• Even top grandmasters occasionally “set a cheapo” when low on time, prioritizing practical chances over perfect accuracy—a reminder that chess is both calculation and psychology.

Practical Advice: Setting and Avoiding “Cheap” Ideas

• How to set them: place pieces on forcing squares, create dual threats (mate plus fork), and leave a tempting capture that backfires.
• How to avoid them: before every move, run a quick “CCT scan” (Checks, Captures, Threats), especially around your king and back rank.
• Time management: in Time trouble, simplify when possible; “cheap” swindles thrive when you’re low on time.
• Opening hygiene: know common traps in your repertoire so you don’t walk into a known cheapo—and so you can punish opponents who try them.

Interesting Facts

• Calling something “cheap” is subjective—what looks like a cheap shot to one player may be a legitimate practical resource to another.
• Many iconic mates (e.g., Scholar's mate, Legal's mate) function as “cheap” patterns at club level but also teach enduring tactical themes: mating nets, decoys, and weak-square exploitation.
• Online culture popularized phrases like “got cheaped” and “fell for the cheapo,” reflecting the explosion of blitz and bullet play.

Related Terms

See also: Cheapo, Cheap shot, Trap, Swindle, Hope chess, Bullet chess, LPDO, Back rank mate, Fork, Skewer, Deflection.

Takeaway

“Cheap” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad”—it means opportunistic. Chess is a fight: if you can create easy-to-miss threats without compromising your position, you’re adding practical winning chances. Just be sure your own house is in order so you don’t get “cheaped” in return.