Ladder Checkmate
When you have two major pieces in an endgame, can you use them to attack the opposing king and deliver a checkmate? Because the ladder checkmate is a common and easy way to end a game, every player needs to understand the following:- What Is Ladder Checkmate?
- Is Ladder Checkmate Difficult To Deliver?
- How Is Ladder Checkmate Delivered?
- Are Two-Rook Mate And Rook Roller Other Names For This Pattern?
- Special Precautions
- Can You Deliver Ladder Checkmate?
- Wrapping Up
- Ladder Checkmate Video
A ladder checkmate often ends a game in a tournament.
What Is Ladder Checkmate?
The ladder checkmate is a common checkmate in the endgame. In this pattern, two major pieces continue to attack the opposing king until it has no way to escape. The two pieces can be two queens, two rooks, or a rook and a queen.
Two major pieces force the opposing king to the edge of the chessboard where it cannot escape.
Is Ladder Checkmate Difficult To Deliver?
No. This checkmate pattern is a common and simple way to end a game, even for beginning players. To deliver this checkmate, make sure that your other pieces don’t get in the way of your two attacking pieces and their line of sight of the king.
How Is Ladder Checkmate Delivered?
The easiest way to understand how to deliver a ladder checkmate is to clear the board of all the pieces except for the two kings and the two attacking pieces. When checkmate is delivered, the end position is shown below. The two attacking pieces are on adjacent ranks (or files), and the opposing king is on the edge of the board. The location of the opposing king is not important except to avoid interfering with the two attacking pieces. (Ranks and files are the horizontal and vertical rows respectively on a chessboard.)
In the puzzle below, complete the sequence of correct moves and observe how the two attacking pieces move vertically on the chessboard like they are moving up or down a ladder. When one rook controls a rank, the other rook moves to control the adjacent rank to force the opposing king closer to the edge of the board. The steps are repeated until the opposing king can no longer escape.
As the attaching pieces move, they continue to push the opposing king to the edge of the board. The king has to move closer to the edge because it cannot stay on the rank (or file) where it is attacked and cannot retreat to the rank (or file) controlled by the second piece. A ladder checkmate can proceed in any direction — up, down, or sideways.
Because a queen can control the file (or rank) where a rook moves if it is adjacent to the queen, the ladder checkmate can be delivered even faster with a queen instead of a second rook.
The king cannot capture the rook when it's protected by a queen.
Are Two-Rook Mate And Rook Roller Other Names For This Pattern?
Yes, because two rooks are often used to deliver the ladder checkmate, it is also known as the two-rook checkmate. With its pattern of pushing the opposing king to the edge of the board, this checkmate pattern is also known as the lawnmower mate, the staircase mate, and the rook roller.
With a ladder checkmate, the opposing king is locked up on the edge of the chessboard.
Special Precautions
If the opposing king can attack one of the rooks, move it to the opposite edge of the board where it is safe and can continue to attack the king. Another precaution with any situation in an endgame is to make sure that you avoid a stalemate.
Can You Deliver Ladder Checkmate?
ChessKid is ready to help you to practice. Click on this workout with a computer coach, and see how successful you are.
Wrapping Up
Because chess skills improve as players learn and recognize patterns, knowing how to deliver a ladder checkmate is important. Now that you know what the ladder checkmate is and how to deliver it, make sure that you are ready to win whenever you have the opportunity.