Basic Checkmate
Learn the definition of checkmate and the most basic mating patterns.
Checkmate is the victory condition in chess. You win by attacking the opponent's king while completely blocking all escape routes.
Checkmate is the winning condition in chess. You achieve victory by attacking the opponent's king and completely blocking all escape routes.
When the king is under attack, it's called 'check', and when it cannot escape from check, it's 'checkmate'.
Understanding checkmate is the first step toward chess improvement.
Back Rank Mate
Back rank mate occurs when the opponent's king is trapped on the back rank (last row) and checkmated.
White rook on e8 controls the 8th rank, while black king on g8 is blocked by its own pawns with no escape — a typical back rank mate.
Back Rank Mateの図解
💡Key Points
- •Black king (g8) is positioned on the back rank
- •Its own pawns (f7, g7, h7) block forward movement
- •White rook (h1→h8) delivers horizontal checkmate
- •The king has absolutely no escape squares
Scholar's Mate (4-move checkmate)
Scholar's mate is the fastest checkmate sequence, achieving mate in just 4 moves.
White queen on f7 checks the king on e8 diagonally. The pawn on e7 blocks escape, making capture or retreat impossible — Scholar's mate achieved.
It's effective against beginners but won't work against opponents who know the defense.
Scholar's Mate (4-move checkmate)の図解
💡Practical Tips
- ✓Sequence: 1.e4 (King's pawn advance) → e5 (response) → 2.Bc4 (Bishop development) → Nc6 (Knight development) → 3.Qh5 (Early queen attack) → Nf6?? (dangerous move) → 4.Qxf7# (Capture f7 pawn for checkmate)
- ✓The f7 pawn is the weakest point in the opening
- ✓Early queen development is generally not good
- ✓This mate pattern only works against beginners
Basic Principles of Checkmate
To achieve checkmate, you must block all escape squares of the opponent's king.
Coordination between attacking pieces and pieces blocking escape routes is crucial.
Through practice, you can naturally memorize checkmate patterns.
💡Key Points
- •Attack the king while blocking escape routes
- •Use multiple pieces working together to create mate
- •Improve pattern recognition ability