Checkmate
Playing chess is a lot of fun. Playing and winning is even more so! Learn how you can win a game of chess by delivering checkmate.
What Is A Checkmate In Chess?
Did you know that checkmate, the most famous word in chess, comes from the Persian expression "Shâh-mât," which means "the king is helpless"?
Thousands of years ago, the Persians formed a powerful empire that lasted for more than 200 years. During that time, the game of chess was part of the education of noble people and royalty!
But let's return to our modern days. A checkmate happens when a king is attacked and has no way to escape.
If you don't want to say the full word, you can simply say mate. Just don't say "check and mate" as they do in movies, or you will not sound like the pro that you are.
When a king is under attack, the only way to save it is by applying CPR:
- Capturing the attacking piece
- Protecting the king
- Running away with the king
When a king is in danger, and a player can't do CPR, well... The king dies, and the game ends!
Let's take a look at an example. In the position below, imagine you are playing as White. You can deliver checkmate in four moves! Don't worry about trying to find the right combination. We will go through it together.
It all starts with a rook sacrifice! You can use your rook to take the b7-pawn and check the Black king. It is still not a checkmate because Black can apply CPR. In this case, the black king can Capture your rook. But don't be sad; this is part of our plan!
Now, you can check the black king again, but this time with your other rook. Still, it is not a checkmate because Black can Protect their king with their knight.
Let's keep the pressure up! You can now capture their knight with your queen, since your rook will protect the queen. Another check, but once more, it is not a checkmate. The black king can Run away to a8.
Now, you can attack the king once more with your rook.
This time, notice how there is no way for Black to do CPR. They can't capture your pieces, protect the king, or run away! The king is helpless: "checkmate!"
Congratulations, you just won the game!
Why Do Checkmates Matter?
As good as capturing pieces feels, checkmating must be your ultimate goal. That is if you like to win, of course!
It does not matter how many extra pieces a player has. If someone gives a checkmate, the game ends, and that person wins.
The position below comes from a game called "The Immortal Game," which was played many years ago. Besides having a very cool name, this game was also very instructive! Black had two rooks and a bishop more than White, but that did not matter.
As if being three pieces down was not enough, White gave up his queen to give check! Black had no choice but to capture the white queen.
Even though White was now down a lot of pieces, he was not unhappy at all! He used his bishop to checkmate the black king and win the game. All that extra material for Black did not matter because his king was attacked and could not do CPR.
Remember: it does not matter who has more pieces. All that matters is who can checkmate first!
Wrapping Up
You now know what a checkmate is and why you have to look for them when playing chess. Now, go to our Puzzles page and practice finding checkmates, so you become a mating monster and win more games!