Delivering a simple checkmate

Step 1 of 7

Look first

Here the black king is at the edge. Look at which squares your king controls.

White gives checkmate with the rook on the next move. Tap the square the rook moves to.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space marks a square or removes the mark.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a square from a list

Square a8, emptyb8, emptyc8, emptyd8, black kinge8, emptyf8, emptyg8, emptyh8, emptya7, emptyb7, emptyc7, emptyd7, emptye7, emptyf7, emptyg7, emptyh7, emptya6, emptyb6, emptyc6, emptyd6, white kinge6, emptyf6, emptyg6, emptyh6, emptya5, emptyb5, emptyc5, emptyd5, emptye5, emptyf5, emptyg5, emptyh5, emptya4, emptyb4, emptyc4, emptyd4, emptye4, emptyf4, emptyg4, emptyh4, emptya3, emptyb3, emptyc3, emptyd3, emptye3, emptyf3, emptyg3, emptyh3, emptya2, emptyb2, emptyc2, emptyd2, emptye2, emptyf2, emptyg2, emptyh2, emptya1, white rookb1, emptyc1, emptyd1, emptye1, emptyf1, emptyg1, emptyh1, empty Mark or unmark

Position as a list

White

• King d6
• Rook a1

Black

• King d8

Step 2 of 7

Decide

Before giving check, ask: can the king escape, or can it capture the piece giving check?

White wants to give checkmate. Is Rf8+ checkmate straight away?

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Position as a list

White

• King e6
• Rook f1

Black

• King e8

Is Rf8+ checkmate?

Yes, it is checkmate No, the king escapes to d8 No, the king captures the rook

Step 3 of 7

Try it

You often cannot give checkmate straight away. Your first move prepares it.

Give checkmate in two moves. Black replies after your first move.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move Kf6 – king from e6 to f6Kf5 – king from e6 to f5Ke5 – king from e6 to e5Kd5 – king from e6 to d5Kd6 – king from e6 to d6Rf2 – rook from f1 to f2Rf3 – rook from f1 to f3Rf4 – rook from f1 to f4Rf5 – rook from f1 to f5Rf6 – rook from f1 to f6Rf7 – rook from f1 to f7Rf8+ – rook from f1 to f8Rg1 – rook from f1 to g1Rh1 – rook from f1 to h1Re1 – rook from f1 to e1Rd1 – rook from f1 to d1Rc1 – rook from f1 to c1Rb1 – rook from f1 to b1Ra1 – rook from f1 to a1 Play move

Position as a list

White

• King e6
• Rook f1

Black

• King e8

Step 4 of 7

Try it with the queen

The queen is stronger than the rook. It can box the king in on its own.

Give checkmate in two moves. Watch out for stalemate! Black replies after your first move.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move Kb7 – king from c6 to b7Kc7 – king from c6 to c7Kd6 – king from c6 to d6Kd5 – king from c6 to d5Kc5 – king from c6 to c5Kb5 – king from c6 to b5Kb6 – king from c6 to b6Qc5 – queen from d4 to c5Qb6 – queen from d4 to b6Qa7 – queen from d4 to a7Qd5 – queen from d4 to d5Qd6 – queen from d4 to d6Qd7+ – queen from d4 to d7Qd8+ – queen from d4 to d8Qe5+ – queen from d4 to e5Qf6 – queen from d4 to f6Qg7 – queen from d4 to g7Qh8+ – queen from d4 to h8Qe4+ – queen from d4 to e4Qf4 – queen from d4 to f4Qg4 – queen from d4 to g4Qh4 – queen from d4 to h4Qe3+ – queen from d4 to e3Qf2 – queen from d4 to f2Qg1 – queen from d4 to g1Qd3 – queen from d4 to d3Qd2 – queen from d4 to d2Qd1 – queen from d4 to d1Qc3 – queen from d4 to c3Qb2 – queen from d4 to b2Qa1 – queen from d4 to a1Qc4 – queen from d4 to c4Qb4 – queen from d4 to b4Qa4 – queen from d4 to a4 Play move

Position as a list

White

• King c6
• Queen d4

Black

• King e8

Step 5 of 7

How to give checkmate

It is easiest to checkmate the king at the edge, where it has fewer squares.

The rook cannot do this on its own: your king must help. Usually it stands opposite the opponent’s king, with one square between them, and controls the squares in front of it.

It is easier with the queen. But leave the king a square until you can give checkmate, or it will be stalemate.

Step 6 of 7

New position, same idea

This time, the opponent’s king is at the side of the board rather than the top or bottom edge.

You are playing Black. Give checkmate in two moves. White replies after your first move.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

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Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move Rb8 – rook from a8 to b8Rc8 – rook from a8 to c8Rd8 – rook from a8 to d8Re8 – rook from a8 to e8Rf8 – rook from a8 to f8Rg8 – rook from a8 to g8Rh8+ – rook from a8 to h8Ra7 – rook from a8 to a7Ra6 – rook from a8 to a6Ra5 – rook from a8 to a5Ra4+ – rook from a8 to a4Ra3 – rook from a8 to a3Ra2 – rook from a8 to a2Ra1 – rook from a8 to a1Ke6 – king from f5 to e6Kf6 – king from f5 to f6Kg6 – king from f5 to g6Kf4 – king from f5 to f4Ke4 – king from f5 to e4Ke5 – king from f5 to e5 Play move

Position as a list

White

• King h4

Black

• King f5
• Rook a8

Step 7 of 7

What you take away

Now you can give checkmate at the edge with king and rook or king and queen. You know the most important rules. Nimzowitsch’s ideas begin in lesson 7.