Basic checkmates
Knowing how to attack is useless if you cannot finish. Six checkmates worth knowing by heart — they are what turns an advantage into a win.
Level:Beginner
The back-rank mate
The most common mate among beginners — and the single pawn move that stops it for good.
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The ladder mate
Two rooks, and a king pushed back step by step. The mate you can play without thinking.
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Queen and king against king
The endgame you will meet most — and the stalemate trap that costs the game once in a lifetime.
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Rook and king against king
The cut-off and the opposition. Here your king does not just help — he does half the work.
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The smothered mate
The only mate where the loser is killed by his own pieces — and the queen sacrifice that sets it up.
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Boden's mate
Two bishops on crossing diagonals. A bishop pair is a weapon — if you see it coming.
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