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\begin{document}

\title{Exeter Chess Club: Essential checkmate patterns
}
\author{Dr. Dave}
\date{\today}

\maketitle
\tableofcontents




\section{20 basic mates}

{\bf BCF Certificate of Merit}

{\bf Class 1 (Elementary)}



{\em ``The game is won by the player who has mated the opponent's king.
This immediately ends the game'' - {\bf Article 10.1 of the official laws of
chess, FIDE}.}

{\bf 
}

\subsection{Material advantage}


1+2.
Mating the lone king at the edge of the board with the queen

You can't mate a K with K and Q in the middle of the board, but you can
at the edge where there's less room for him to wriggle out.  The Black Kings in
the first diagram are all in checkmate.  



\board{k* * * *}
{*QK * * }
{ * * *Qk}
{* * *K* }
{ * * * *}
{* *K* * }
{ * * * *}
{* *k*Q* }
$$\showboard$$


But how do you get to that point? Let's try from a starting position below:




\board{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * *k* *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* *QK * }
$$\showboard$$


We know we must get to the edge.  So the winning plan is:

{\bf 1. Centralise your own K}

{\bf 2. Drive the king to the edge of the board using the Q, stepping in with
your Q or K every time the K gives way}

{\bf 3. Bring up your own K, and arrange the K and Q to mate the K}

{\bf N.B. Don't allow stalemate!}

In practice from the diagram below, you might play: 



\board{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * *k* *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* *QK * }
$$\showboard$$\protect\begin{chess}


1 Ke2, Ke5; 2 Ke3, Kf5; 3. Qd5+ Kf6; 4 Kf4, Ke7; 5 Ke5,
Kf8; 6 Kf6, Ke8; 7 Qb7!\protect\end{chess} (not\protect\begin{chess} 7 Qd6?\protect\end{chess}? stalemate!) Kd8;\protect\begin{chess} 8 Kd6\protect\end{chess}
mates.  







\board{ * k *R*}
{* * * * }
{ * K * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


So the winning plan from the diagram below is:



\board{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * k * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * K *R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf 1. Drive the king to the edge of the board using both K and R, stepping
in every time the K gives way}

{\bf 2. Arrange the K and R to mate the K}



So, we can go\protect\begin{chess} 1. Ke2, Ke4; 2 Rh4+ Kd5; 3 Ke3, Ke5; 4 Rh5+ Ke6;
5 Ke4, Kd6; 6 Re5, Kc6; 7 Kd4, Kc7; 8 Kc5, Kb7; 9 Rd7+ Kc8\protect\end{chess}
{\em 
(or\protect\begin{chess} 9.: Ka6; 10 Rc7!\protect\end{chess})};\protect\begin{chess} 10 Kc6, Kb8; 11 Rg7! Ka8; 12 Kb6, Kb8;
13 Rg8\#\protect\end{chess} 

The variation at move 9 is interesting.  Black's K might be better off where
it is, but does have to move even if it means walking into a mate.  This
unpleasant obligation is called {\em zugzwang}.  Did you get this?  In the
next diagram we see a similar position where White could mate in 2. 



\board{ * * k *}
{* * * * }
{ * *R*K*}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


With you as White to move, if you try and arrange things with\protect\begin{chess} 1 Kf6,\protect\end{chess} he
sidesteps with\protect\begin{chess} 1.: Kg8\protect\end{chess}.  If it was Black's turn to move, he would have to go\protect\begin{chess}
1.: Kg8\protect\end{chess} and you could play\protect\begin{chess} 2 Re8\#\protect\end{chess}.  But if it's your turn to move?  Make it
Black's turn!  Play\protect\begin{chess} 1 Re5!\protect\end{chess} then its easy:\protect\begin{chess} 1.: Kg8; 2 Re8\#\protect\end{chess}




5+6.
Mating the lone king at the edge of the board with other pieces

With some combinations of pieces you can mate in the middle of the board, but
it's usually easier and sometimes necessary to do it at the edge.  For some
piece combinations, you need to get the king into the corner!  You can do this
with K+BB vs. K.  You can arrange a mate in a
corner with K+NN vs. K, but this cannot be forced.  You can
also mate in a corner with K+NB vs. K, but this is
very tricky to force.  You can try it against yourself if you like!



\board{k* * * *}
{* * * * }
{NKB* * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * * * k}
{* * * * }
{ * *BB K}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


The diagram above shows the {\em mate with two bishops}, which is not too much
of a struggle to force because the two bishops together form a barrier like a
rook does.  Let's have a go from the diagram below:

{\bf BCF Certificate of Merit}

{\bf Class 2 (Intermediate)}



\board{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * *k* *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* B KB* }
$$\showboard$$\protect\begin{chess}


1. Bd2, Kd4; 2 Kf2, Ke4; 3 Be2, Kd4; 4
Kf3, Ke5; 5 Be3, Kd5; 6 Kf4, Kd6; 7
Bf3, Ke6; 8 Bc5, Kd7\protect\end{chess} (\protect\begin{chess}8.: Kf6; 9
Bc4\protect\end{chess});\protect\begin{chess} 9 Ke5, Kc7; 10 Ke6, Kd8; 11 Bd6,
Kc8; 12 Bc6, Kd8; 13 Bb7, Ke8; 14
Bc7, Kf8; 15 Kf6! Ke8; 16 Bc6+ Kf8; 17
Bd6+ Kg8; 18 Kg6, Kh8; 19 Be8, Kg8; 20
Bf7+ Kh8; 21 Be5\#\protect\end{chess}  


Capablanca recommended the study of this mate, not because it comes up
very often, but to show the power of the two Bishops in combination.
You try with two Knights, but don't hold your breath... ;-) You should
see the differences in the nature of the pieces straight away. 





\board{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * K *}
{* *k* * }
{ * * * *}
{* * *P* }
{ * * * *}
{* RR* * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * * * *}
{* * pp* }
{ * *k* *}
{* N B * }
{ * K *P*}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$





9+10.
Mating the uncastled king

You must know the mate with\protect\begin{chess} 1 e4, e5; 2 Bc4, Nc6; 3
Qh5, Nf6; 4 Q*f7\#,\protect\end{chess} and there are several others like it.  These are
important formations, and most amusing if you can pull it off is the epaulette
(shoulder-pad?) mate, in the second diagram below.



\board{ * qkb *}
{* * *Q* }
{ * * * *}
{* * * N }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * rkr *}
{* * * * }
{ * *Q* *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf 
}

\subsection{Mating the castled king:
}


11,12.
mates on the back rank

This is a very common mate, and easy to overlook if you have been sensible
enough to leave your K behind a nice safe wall of pawns!  



\board{ * *R*k*}
{* * *ppp}
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


back rank mate



\board{ * * *kR}
{* * *p* }
{ * * *p*}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ B * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$





13,14.
mates on the second rank


These are very common and important mates; in the first diagram it is
a luxury to have both Bishop and Rook supporting the Queen!  




\board{ * * rk*}
{* * *ppQ}
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * *B* *}
{* * * * }
{ * * *R*}
{* * * *R}
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * * rk*}
{* * *pQp}
{ * * * B}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{r* * r k}
{* * *ppp}
{ * * * *}
{* * * N }
{ *Q* * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


The last of these three is known as {\em Philidor's Legacy}:\protect\begin{chess} 1 N*f7+\protect\end{chess} and if\protect\begin{chess}
1.: Kg8; 2 Nh6+\protect\end{chess}+! Kh8;\protect\begin{chess} 3 Qg8+! R*g8; 4 Nf7,\protect\end{chess} a terrific {\em smothered mate}.
So Black must play\protect\begin{chess} 1.: R*f7,\protect\end{chess} losing the exchange in most situations.




15-20.
other mates 




\board{ * * * k}
{* * * *R}
{ * * N *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


arab mate



\board{r*bqkbnr}
{pp*npppp}
{ *pN * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{PPPPQPPP}
{R B KBNR}
$$\showboard$$


smothered mate



\board{rnb*kbnr}
{pppp*ppp}
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * q}
{* * * * }
{PPPPP* P}
{RNBQKBNR}
$$\showboard$$


fool's mate



\board{ * *R* R}
{* * * pk}
{ * * *p*}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * *k* *}
{* * * * }
{ *B* Q *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$






\board{ * * * k}
{* * *p*p}
{ * * B *}
{* * * * }
{ * * * *}
{* * * * }
{ * * *R*}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$







 

{\bf  COOL TIP: Obviously, there are loads of mates.  You must develop a feel for
the sorts of ways pieces work together to create checkmates.  }









 

{\bf Training exercise for one person

 One way to do this is to set up one corner of a board with a castled king's
position and try and mate the king using different combinations of pieces -
Q+B, Q+N, Q+R, R+B, and so on.
 Also, as above, set up positions with a K (perhaps with some help) against
other pieces, e.g. Q and R, so you practice finishing off won games.
}



\end{document}