The Caro-Kann Smothered Mate
Six moves and it is over — in an opening plenty of beginners really play. It all hangs on one quiet move: the queen goes to e2 behind her own knight and waits. When the knight steps to d6 it gives check and uncovers the queen, which pins the e7 pawn: that pawn therefore cannot capture the knight, and the king is smothered by his own pieces. The answer is a single move — Ndf6 instead of Ngf6. This is the smothered mate from course 2, made possible by the pin from course 3.
Themes
- mat
- mat-etouffe
- clouage
- ouverture
Demonstration — use the arrows
Use the ← and → arrow keys, or click a move in the list.
Move list
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Start