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Smothered mate

The knight mates a king that is boxed in by its own pieces.

Intermediate · Checkmate patterns · 13 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine. With games of Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, José Raúl Capablanca, Paul Morphy, Nihal Sarin, Alexander Alekhine.

Step 1

♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎
The position

In a smothered mate the king is surrounded by its own pieces, so it cannot move at all. A single knight check is then checkmate, because the knight jumps over everything and cannot be blocked.

Step 2

♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎
The position

Viswanathan Anand vs NN, Bad Mergentheim sim 1993. Viswanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988 and was World Champion five times. Viswanathan Anand plays White here. Look at the knight on d5: what can it do?

Step 3

♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♛︎♚︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.Nf6#

Viswanathan Anand jumps the knight to f6. Checkmate!

From the game Viswanathan Anand – NN, Bad Mergentheim sim 1993.

Step 4

♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♟︎♟︎
The position

Alejandro Domingo Nunez vs Magnus Carlsen, Titled Tuesday (online) 2023. Magnus Carlsen from Norway was World Champion from 2013 to 2023. Magnus Carlsen plays Black here. Look at the knight on e4: what can it do?

Step 5

♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♛︎♜︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♟︎♟︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 45...Nf2#

Magnus Carlsen jumps the knight to f2. Checkmate!

Step 6

♜︎♝︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♚︎
The position

José Raúl Capablanca vs A. Mattison, Carlsbad 1929. José Raúl Capablanca from Cuba was World Champion from 1921 to 1927, famous for simple, clear play. José Raúl Capablanca plays White here. Look at the knight on h6: what can it do?

Step 7

♜︎♝︎♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 25.Nf7#

José Raúl Capablanca jumps the knight to f7. It attacks the pawn on e5. Checkmate!

From the game José Raúl Capablanca – A. Mattison, Carlsbad 1929.

Step 8

♜︎♚︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♛︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position

Paul Morphy vs NN, Paris 1859. Paul Morphy from New Orleans was the best player in the world in the 1850s. Paul Morphy plays White here. Look at the knight on b6: what can it do?

Step 9

♜︎♚︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♛︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 24.Nd7#

Paul Morphy jumps the knight to d7. Checkmate!

From the game Paul Morphy – NN, Paris 1859.

Step 10

♚︎♜︎♞︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♞︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎
The position

Ax Bachmann vs Nihal Sarin, FIDE World Cup 2023, Baku. Nihal Sarin from Kerala became a grandmaster at 14. Nihal Sarin plays Black here. Look at the knight on h3: what can it do?

Step 11

♚︎♜︎♞︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♞︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 42...Nf2#

Nihal Sarin jumps the knight to f2. Checkmate!

Step 12

♜︎♝︎♛︎♞︎♚︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♜︎
The position

Alexander Alekhine vs Goluvsky, Belgrade 1930. Alexander Alekhine was World Champion from 1927 to 1935 and again from 1937 to 1946. Alexander Alekhine plays White here. Look at the knight on d5: what can it do?

Step 13

♜︎♝︎♛︎♞︎♚︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 16.Ne7#

Alexander Alekhine jumps the knight to e7. Checkmate!

From the game Alexander Alekhine – Goluvsky, Belgrade 1930.

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