Openings and endgames
Checkmate patterns
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King and queen checkmate
Level: BeginnerA winning method against a lone king in which the queen shrinks its space and the attacking king covers nearby squares.
King and rook checkmate
Level: BasicA winning method against a lone king in which the rook cuts lines and the attacking king helps drive it to the edge.
Ladder mate
Level: BeginnerA technique in which two rooks, or a rook and queen, reduce the king's space along successive rows or columns.
Two-bishop checkmate
Level: IntermediateA mating method in which bishops traveling on different square colors and their king drive the enemy king to an edge or corner.
Bishop and knight checkmate
Level: AdvancedA precise mating method in which king, bishop, and knight drive the enemy king to a corner matching the bishop's color.
Fool's mate
Level: BeginnerThe fastest possible checkmate from the starting position, caused by extreme weakening of the white king's diagonal.
Scholar's mate
Level: BeginnerAn early queen-and-bishop attack on f7 or f2 that can mate in four moves if the defender ignores the threat.
Légal's mate
Level: BasicAn early mating pattern in which a bishop and two knights mate after an apparent queen sacrifice.
Back-rank mate
Level: BasicCheckmate delivered by a rook or queen on the opponent's home rank against a king trapped by its own pieces.
Corridor mate
Level: BasicA checkmate in which a king is confined to a narrow line and a long-range piece attacks along that line.
Corner mate
Level: BasicA mating pattern against a king trapped in a corner, often with a knight delivering the final check.
Smothered mate
Level: BasicA checkmate delivered by a knight to a king whose movement is blocked mainly by its own pieces.
Epaulette mate
Level: IntermediateA mate in which two defending pieces block the squares on either side of their king like ornamental epaulettes.
Dovetail mate
Level: IntermediateA mate in which a protected queen sits diagonally beside the king while two of the defender's own pieces block the remaining exits.
Swallow's tail mate
Level: IntermediateA mate in which a protected queen checks from a square beside the king on the same row or column while two of the defender's own pieces close its exits.
Arabian mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a rook mates beside the enemy king while a knight protects the rook and covers the final escape.
Anastasia's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern where a rook or queen mates along an open line while a knight cuts off a king trapped by the board edge.
Hook mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern in which a rook, knight, and usually a pawn form a supporting chain around the enemy king.
Vuković's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a protected rook mates at the board's edge while a knight covers the remaining exits.
Greco's mate
Level: IntermediateAn edge mating pattern in which a rook or queen checks while a bishop covers the king's diagonal escape.
Morphy's mate
Level: IntermediateA rook-and-bishop pattern in which the bishop mates a cornered king while the rook cuts off its escape.
Opera mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern in which a rook gives checkmate while a bishop protects it and the enemy king has no escape.
Mayet's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a rook mates near the king while a distant bishop supports it along a long diagonal.
Pillsbury's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern against a king near a corner in which a rook mates on an open file while a bishop controls the corner.
Réti's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a bishop mates with rook or queen support while the defender's own pieces imprison the king.
Blind swine mate
Level: BasicA mating pattern in which two coordinated rooks on the seventh rank confine the king to a two-by-two area.
Kill box mate
Level: IntermediateA queen-and-rook mating pattern that traps the king inside a three-by-three box and mates with the rook.
Triangle mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which the queen mates with support from a rook two squares behind it on the same file.
Balestra mate
Level: IntermediateA queen-and-bishop pattern in which the queen closes the exits and the bishop attacks the king with no legal reply.
Damiano's bishop mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a queen attacks beside the king with no legal reply, protected by a bishop that prevents its capture.
Max Lange's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which the queen gives mate with support from a bishop that also covers an escape square.
Boden's mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern in which two bishops work on crossing diagonals against a king blocked by its own pieces.
Double bishop mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern in which two coordinated bishops attack along parallel diagonals and cover the king's exits.
Double knight mate
Level: AdvancedA mating pattern in which one knight checks and the other covers the decisive escape squares.
Blackburne's mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern against a castled king in which two bishops and a knight coordinate the attack and cover every escape square.
Rainbow mate
Level: AdvancedA rare pattern in which both bishops and both knights form a curved, coordinated mating arrangement.
Suffocation mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a knight gives mate while a bishop or queen controls the king's escape routes.
Stamma's mate
Level: AdvancedAn endgame pattern in which king and knight mate because the enemy king is trapped in front of its own advanced rook pawn.
Pawn mate
Level: BasicA checkmate in which a pawn is the piece that gives the final attack on the king.
Damiano's mate
Level: IntermediateA mating pattern in which a queen supported by an advanced pawn checkmates a confined king at close range.
Lolli's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a queen enters beside a king sheltered by its pawns and delivers mate with support from a deeply advanced pawn.
Anderssen's mate
Level: IntermediateA pattern in which a rook attacks the king on the board's last row with no legal reply, diagonally supported by a protected advanced pawn.