How do I mate thee; let me count the ways - part 1

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Submitted by batgirl on Sat, 02/16/2008 at 9:09pm.

Part 1: Mating by individual pieces

Each piece mates in it's own way. Below are common ways each piece does it's job.

The Queen

The Queen can often give mate with no assistance from minor pieces.

Here are some common patterns everyone should be aware of.

The Rook

A lone rook generally mates a king on the back rank when the king is somehow prevented from leaving that rank.
When rooks work together, usually one restricts the king while the other delivers mate.

Bishops sometimes work in tandem

Bishops sometimes criss-cross

Knights, mating alone or in pairs, mate by smothering. The King's escape squares can be blocked physically by one's own pieces, by the opponent's pieces or by controlling those squares. Often the Knight simultaneously checks and controls an escape square.

» posted in Le blog de la Batgirl

| 2126 reads | 8 comments

Comments:

by kolechess - 20 months ago
Somewhere Australia

Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 242

Nice really hope I would spot those

by BigJimi - 20 months ago
Lancaster,Kentucky United States

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 1202

Nice info !!

by hicetnunc - 20 months ago
Neuilly-sur-Seine France

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 3142

Very good article !

Doesn't it belong to the 5-stars article section, though ?

by slowhand - 20 months ago
Mississippi Pinebelt United States

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 195

Timing is everything! After leaving you the message a moment ago I decided to check out your latest and found a mating pattern I am currently trying to avoid. I'm really unsure if it is even avoidable. I'm left with just my King vs King/Rook. I do know that there are two possible stalemate positions. My uncertainty is whether or not one of these two positions is even a possibility given our current positions and without this knowledge how in the world will I ever be able to arrive there. So I had better go and work on it. I'll have to let you know how it turns out. Thanks Batgirl!

by AquaMan - 20 months ago
Albany, Oregon United States

Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 742

I really appreciate the time you put into the rating pattern articles and puzzles. They've been good for me. Thanks.

by lostapiece - 20 months ago
mercia England

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 5772

aww ,i thought it was gonna be pawn !?

by Unbeliever - 20 months ago
United States

Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 1119

Thanks for posting!

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