Checkmate in 4

Submitted by grimreaper1973 on Sun, 04/27/2008 at 6:32pm.

1.	e4	e5
2.	Bc4	Nc6
3.	Qh5	Nf6
4.	Qxf7#

I don't know if "chessaholics" would call this the "oldest trick in the book" or not, but after my friend beat me with it I felt like I got skunked! Alas, I discovered there are some out there who are not aware of this. I do let people know not to feel too bad and that it happened to me, too. I don't try this every single game either. Is this unsporting? Please let me know as I am still relatively new to chess and would like some more information on "decorum".

Thanks!

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Comments:

by grimreaper1973 - 2 months ago
Albany NY United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 108

Yep. Got beat with that one too, MCW! :)

by grimreaper1973 - 3 months ago
Albany NY United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 108

that is true Anubis. However, setting it up against an experienced opponent allows him or her to think they are anticipating your next moves. Experienced players know (much more than I do) that you have to think ahead several moves. Have you not played against someone and thought you knew where they were going, only to find that they took the path you didn't think they would take?

by MCW - 3 months ago
N Ireland United Kingdom

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 54

By the way, it's certainly not unsporting. I'd say we've all got caught by it at least once in our chess careers (we have to learn somewhere) and we all felt stupid when it happened, but overall it made us stronger players.

Forget decorum - chess is war!!

by MCW - 3 months ago
N Ireland United Kingdom

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 54

Hey, I'm not sure I'd agree. I'm playing a game at the moment with a player at exactly the same level as me (1751) and he tried it on me. I think he knew that I would spot it, but he probably thought it was worth a try, and it certainly didn't put his queen in jeopardy.

Also, you can pretty much guarantee that someone will try it on you again sometime in the future, and you'll learn lots of different ways of defending against it and coming out with the advantage.

Are you aware that there is a possible Checkmate in 2?

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