ChessschoolFour useful checkmate patterns
A familiar mating pattern helps you notice what a position is missing.
Back-rank and supported queen mates
A rook can mate along the last rank when the enemy king is trapped behind its own pawns. A queen beside the king often needs protection from another piece or your king so it cannot be captured.
Smothered mate
A knight checks a king surrounded by its own pieces. The knight can jump over those pieces. Because a knight check cannot be blocked, the defender must capture the knight or move the king, if either is legal.
Check every escape square
Recognising a picture is only the beginning. Verify the checking piece cannot be captured, a line check cannot be blocked and the king has no safe square. An apparently identical pattern may fail if one defender is added.
Try it yourself
Why can a knight check never be blocked?
Check the answer
A knight jumps directly to its destination. There is no line between it and the king on which to interpose a piece.
Put it into practice
Open the related lesson Practise with puzzles
Sources and corrections
For the official rules, see the FIDE Laws of Chess. Found an error? Send the position and page address.