Traps & Tricks In My World

I am of firm belief that traps and tricks get the short end of the stick in AD&D.  They don't evrn get awarded experience points for surviving them in "by the book" play.

That is different in my world and way of being a Dungeon Master.

I award anywhere between 50 and 500 XP for each trap and trick successfully navigated and "survived", depending on the size and scope of it.

Of course, if there is a monster guarding nearby or within, they get those XP as well.

I have always found it somewhat hypocritical of the game rules in which it is written more than once by G.G. that the point of the game is fun and that the overall challenge of the game is more important than just killing things and arguing about details and rules.  At the same time, XP are only awarded for killing things.  Great detail is provided down to minor details and rules of engagement.

If the thrill and challenge of the game is so important, why not reward craftiness, creativity, teamwork and intelligence for overcoming traps and tricks that can be and are often just as lethal to PC's as any monster encounter?

Luckily for me, it is also said in no uncertain way many times in the book (Dungeon Masters Guide) that  I am the final arbiter and creator of the game.  I have the authority to ignore or overrule nearly anything in the DMG, up to and including making the dice rolls for the players myself.

Of course,  I don't take it to that extent, no.   I think it would be a very boring game for players indeed if the DM did everything just to keep everything "perfect" as the DM wants things.

I do take the liberty to assign and reward XP for traps and tricks though.