Typical Checkmates

Maruthy Pannala

Anastasia Mate Knight on e7 Black pawn on g7 King on h8 or h7 Open h file (or can

be opened with a piece sacrifice)

Rook or Queen can transfer to the h file.

Missing f Pawn f7 pawn is missing Bishop on a2-g8

diagonal King on h8 Open h file (or can

be opened with a piece sacrifice)

Rook or Queen can transfer to the h file.

Arabian (Arab) Mate Knight on f6

(sometimes on h6 with pawn blocking h7)

King on h8 Rook able to go to

h7 or g8 to deliver mate.

Hook Mate Pawn supports the

Knight & covers one escape square

Black pawn right above the Knight

Knight supports the Rook

Rook delivers the mate.

Smothered (Knight) Mate King smothered by

his own pieces Knight delivers the

mate.

Semi-smothered (Knight) Mate

King almost (semi) smothered by his pieces

Bishop covers other escape squares

Knight delivers the mate.

Bishop & Knight Mate Bishop on the a1-h8

diagonal Missing pawn on g7 Knight reaches h6

to deliver mate. Usually happens

when Black does a fianchetto castle and his dark square Bishop is missing.

Bodens (Crossfire) Mate King on the edge of

the board One Bishop covers

squares of one color near the King

Squares not attacked by the Bishops are occupied/attacked

Other Bishop delivers mate

Open h file Pawn on g6 covers

escape squares (much like in Back Rank mate)

Queen delivers mate on h7

Sacrifices are sometimes involved to open the h file.

Mate on the long diagonal King near the

corner with weak dark (light) squares

Bishop & Queen coordinate to deliver mate.

Legals Mate Knights on c3 & d5 Bishop on the a2-g8

diagonal Black King is

blocked by his own pieces on d8 & f8

Bxf7 followed by Nd5 is checkmate

This is a common opening trap.

Morphys Mate Bishop on the long

diagonal (a1-h8). Rook on the g file,

cutting the King off on the h file.

Pawn on the h7 square.