Pattern Recognition: Anastasia's Mate, Pt. 1
Hiya ChessKids! Today we are going to reflect on a great strategy to become a better chess player: pattern recognition.
There are certainly many ways to improve, but one tried and true method is to practice your tactics! Soon you will be able to recognize these patterns in your own games! By, Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl).
----
How many squares are on a chessboard?
-----
Whoa! How many...diamonds?
-----
The pattern to practice today is called Anastasia's Mate. I really like this checkmate because it comes from a character in a book! Have you ever created your own unique checkmate?
-----
It's hard to be original, but I've never seen this before!
-----
Here is the original Anastasia's Mate.
----
----
Notice how the knight cuts off two escape squares, while the king's own pawn also locks him in! What checkmate does this remind you of?
----
----
----
-----
It definitely looks like a back rank checkmate! Why does it look so similar? We basically just turned the board sideways!! 
This is called pattern recognition: the ability to classify certain positions together though they are slightly different. (And it also helps then to know what move should follow!)
This is called pattern recognition: the ability to classify certain positions together though they are slightly different. (And it also helps then to know what move should follow!)-----
Try an easy one first. White to move and mate in one.
-----
---
----
Excellent. Now try that same pattern, but take a step backward. This is a mate in two. Does the position look familiar?
----
----
-----
Easy! Now what if we move up or down a rank? Does that change anything?
----
----
How about this one? We can even reverse the move order to create the same mate! Knights can give checkmate, too!
----
-----
Fantastic work! Some people call this a side-file mate. I'm sure you can see why! 
The name is not as important as the ability to group it with similar positions in your brain. And that is how you will get better at recognizing patterns: by practicing! Next up: we'll practice harder Anastasia puzzles!
The name is not as important as the ability to group it with similar positions in your brain. And that is how you will get better at recognizing patterns: by practicing! Next up: we'll practice harder Anastasia puzzles!----
RELATED STUDY MATERIAL
- Watch PinkHamster's video (complete with sound effects!) on Anastasia's mate;
- Do my whole puzzle set - entirely devoted to Anastasia's mate;
- PlayfulSquirrel loves the mate also - it must be everyone's favorite.