Chess Guide for the Intermediate Player/Common checkmate patterns

Major pieces

Queen

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Queen checkmate

To checkmate with a king and queen, you must first force the enemy king to the edge of the board, which the queen can do by herself. Then, you have to bring your king to the edge as well (be careful not to stalemate the opponent). Mate can be forced in at most ten moves from any king and queen vs king position, unless the lone king can immediately capture the queen.

Two major pieces

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Checkmate

This is the easiest to execute of any checkmate. Keep in mind that if you are using two rooks and the enemy king gets within striking distance and could potentially win a rook, create a battery with your rook, so that the enemy king is forced to move away. On the next move, you can checkmate.

Checkmate example

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Two rooks will soon checkmate the enemy king.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

1. Ra4+

The series of checks begin.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

1...Kf5

Kg3 for Black would be instant death. So Black attempts to approach the rooks.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Rb5+

Another check. Black cannot flee to the fourth rank...

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2...Ke6

...so he flees to the sixth rank while continuing to approach the rooks.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3. Ra6+

Yet another check.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3...Kd7

Black is getting really close to the rooks! Will he be able to stop the rooks?

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

4. Rb7+

The fourth check.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

4...Kc8

The black king has gotten close enough! He is entertaining thoughts of capturing a rook, or at least delaying White's plans for a few moves. Of course, if White gets greedy and attempts to checkmate

Will work on it more soon

Rook

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Rook checkmate

To checkmate with a rook, construct a "box" with the rook that is protected by your king. The box becomes smaller and smaller until the enemy king is forced into the corner. Mate can be forced in at most sixteen moves.