Common Checkmating Patterns When the King is Castled cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kD} The simplest checkmate with a (wDwDw4kD} 7DwDwDp0p} queen and bishop involves an 7DwDwDp0Q} 6wDwDwDwD} attack on h7. For this, the 6wDwDwDwD} 5DwDwDQDw} queen and bishop can be 5DwDwDwDw} &wDwDBDwD} anywhere on the b1-h7 &wDwDBDwD} diagonal. The queen can also v,./9EFJMV be on the h-file. v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kD} A queen and bishop mate can (wDwDw4kD} 7DwDwDp0p} be directed at g7. If the g- 7DwDwDp!p} 6wDwDwDwD} pawn is on g6, then mate is 6wDwDwDwD} 5DwDw!wDw} also possible at h8. The queen 5DwDwdwDw} &wDwGwDwD} may be on the g-file or h6 if &wDwGwDwD} the g-pawn has been advanced v,./9EFJMV or is pinned. v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4wi} Black to move is defenseless (rDwDwiwd} 7DwDw0p0B} against this setup. 1…g6 7DwDw0Qdw} 6wDwDwDwD} 2.Qh6!But not 2.Bxg6+? Kg7 6wDwDwDBD} 5DwDwdwDQ} and the king escapes. The rest 5DwDwdwDw} is 2…Ra8 3.Bxg6+ Kg8 v,./9EFJMV 4.Qh7+ Kf8 5.Qf8#. v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDrdwi} A queen and knight combine (wDwDwdri} 7DwDwDw0p} for "Smothered Mate." You 7DwDwDN0p} 6wDwDwhwD} need a queen on the a2-g8 6wDwDwhwD} 5DwDQDwHw} diagonal and a knight within 5DwDwDwdw} range of f7. Black's king must v,./9EFJMV be restricted and there must v,./9EFJMV not be any piece guarding f7. 1.Nf7+ Kg8 2.Nh6! Kh8 3.Qg8+!! R(N)xg8 4.Nf7#. Smothered mates do not have to occur in the corner, but they are easiest, and most common, there. 1 Common Checkmating Patterns When the King is Castled cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kD} Greco's Mate involves a (wDwDw4wi} 7DwDwDp0p} queen, bishop, and knight. 7DwDwDB0w} 6wDwDwDwD} You need a queen on h5, a 6wDwDwDwD} 5DwDBDwHQ} knight on g5, and a bishop on 5DwDwDw0Q} the a2-b8 diagonal. Black v,./9EFJMV plays, 1…h6 2.Bxf7+ Kh8 (If v,./9EFJMV 2...Rxf7 3.Qxf7+ Kh8 4.Qf8#.) 3.Qg6 hxg5 4.Qh5#. cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDwdkD} For a back rank mate, all you (wDwDRdkD} 7DwDwDp0p} need is a rook (or queen) 7DwDwDp0p} 6wDwDwDwD} which can check a king that is 6wDwDwDwD} 5DwDw$wdw} trapped behind its pawns. 5DwDwDwdw} There are dozens of variations v,./9EFJMV on this theme, making it one v,./9EFJMV of the most common patterns. For example, your king on g6 can substitute for the pawns. cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDwdwi} The Arabian Mate involves a (wDwDwdwi} 7$wDwDwdw} rook and a knight. It is most 7dwDwDwdR} 6wDwDwHwD} common in a corner, but can 6wDwDwHwD} 5DwDwdwdw} happen along the edge, too. 5DwDwdwdw} You need a rook and a knight v,./9EFJMV two squares diagonally away v,./9EFJMV from the king. The knight restrains the king and supports a rook check in front of it. cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDwdkd} A rook (queen) can be lethal (wDwDw$wd} 7dwDwDw0w} when joined by a knight on 7dwDwDk0w} 6wDwDwdND} g6! You need a rook (queen) 6wDwDwdND} 5$wDwdPdw} which can get to the back 5dwDwdPdw} rank, a protected knight on g6 v,./9EFJMV and a guard for e6. Here, the v,./9EFJMV pawn-f5 serves the last two roles, but there are other ways, too. 1.Ra8+ Kf7 2.Rf8#. If 2…Kh8, 3.Rh8#. This can occur in other places, too. 2 Common Checkmating Patterns When the King is Castled cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kd} Anastasia's mate involves a (wDwDw4wd} 7dwDwDp0p} knight on e7 and a rook or 7dwDwHp0k} 6wDwDwdwD} queen checkmating along the 6wDwDwdwD} 5$wDNdwdR} h-file. The mate includes a 5dwDwdwdR} sacrifice at h7. You need a v,./9EFJMV knight which can check at e7, v,./9EFJMV a rook (or a queen, which can also be along the b1-h7 dia- gonal) which can sacrifice itself at h7, and a rook (or queen) which can reach the h- file for mate.1.Ne7+ Kh8 2.Rxh7+! Kxh7 3.Rh5#. cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kd} A pawn on f6 creates patterns (wDwDwdrd} 7dwDwDpdp} which are powerful attacking 7dwDwDpdk} 6wDwDw)pD} tools. Here are two common 6wDwDw)pD} 5dwDwdw!w} situations. On the left, 1.Qh6 5dwDwdwdw} &RDwdwdwD} leaves Black defenseless. On &wDwdwdw$} the right, it is already v,./9EFJMV checkmate. v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kD} Morphy's Mate is a famous (wDwDw4wi} 7DwDwDp0p} pattern which is well worth 7DwDwDpDp} 6wDwDwgwD} knowing. 1.Qxf6! gxf6 6wDwDwGwD} 5DwDwDwDw} 2.Rg1+ Kh8 3.Bxf6#. 5DwDwDwDw} &wDwDw!wD} &wDwDwDwD} 3DwDwDwDw} 3DwDwDwDw} 2wGwDwDwD} 2wDwDwDwD} %$wDwDwDK} %DwDwDw$K} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4kD} Here is a variation of (wDwDwDwi} 7DwDwDp0p} Morphy's Mate for which 7DwDwDwDp} 6wDwDwDwD} you need just a bishop and 6wDwDwGwD} 5DwDwDwDw} rook. 1.Rxg7+ Kh8 2.Rxf7+! 5DwDwDwDw} &wDwGwDwD} (Not yet 2.Rg1+ because of &wDwDwDwD} 3DwDwDwDw} 2…f6!) 2...Kg8 3.Rg7+ Kh8 3DwDwDwDw} 2wDwDwDwD} 4.Rg1+ Rf6 5.Bxf6#. 2wDwDwDwD} %DwDwDw$K} %DwDwDw$K} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV 3 Common Checkmating Patterns When the King is Castled cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDrDw4kD} Pillsbury's Mate is another (wDrDw4kD} 7DwDwDp0p} variation of Morphy's Mate. 7DwDwDpDp} 6wDwDwDwD} (Note: Morphy’s mate is not 6wDwDwDwD} 5DwDwDwDw} possible because the bishop is 5DwDwDwDw} &wDwDwDwD} under attack.) 1.Rxg7+! Kh8 &wDwDwDwD} 3DwGwDwDw} 2.Rg8+!! Kxg8 3.Rg1#. 3DwGwDwDw} 2wDwDwDwD} 2wDwDwDwD} %$wDwDw$K} %DwDwDw$K} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDw4wi} A bishop and knight can be (wDwDw4kD} 7DwDwDpDp} deadly. Here we see two 7DwDwDwDp} 6wDwDwDwD} typical ways to checkmate. 6wDwDwDwH} 5DwDwHwDw} 1.Nxf7+ Kg8 2.Nh6#; or 5DwDwDwDw} &wDwGwDwd} 1.Ng6+ Kg8 2.Ne7#. &wDwGwDwd} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDk4wgw4} Boden's Mate involves a (wDk4wDw4} 70p0wDw0p} queen sacrifice and the use of 70p0wDw0p} 6wDnDw1wD} two diagonals and is some- 6wDnDwDwD} 5DwDBDbDw} times referred to as a "criss- 5DwDBDbDw} &wDwDw)wD} cross" mate. This position is &wDwDw)wD} 3Dw)wGQDw} from the game Macdonell- 3gw)wGQDw} 2P)wHw)w)} Boden, 1869. 1...Qxc3+!! 2PDwHw)w)} %DwIRDwDR} 2.bxc3 Ba3#. %DwIRDwDR} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV cuuuuuuuuC cuuuuuuuuC (wDwDwDk1} This is a simplified version of (wDwDwDk1} 7DwDwDwDp} a criss-cross mate. 1.Bd5#. 7DwDwDwDp} 6wDwDwDwG} 6wDwDwDwG} 5DwDwDwDw} 5DwDBDwDw} &wDwDBDwD} &wDwDwDwD} v,./9EFJMV v,./9EFJMV 4.