This mating pattern is called Damiano's Mate because it was first documented by Portuguese chess player Pedro Damiano in 1512. Damiano was a pharmacist by profession, hence the icon on the card above representing a chalice with a snake around it, a symbol commonly associated with pharmacy.
The pattern involves a pawn and a Queen attacking a weakened castled position. The Queen, protected by the pawn, delivers mate from a square diagonally adjacent to the opponent's King. The King's escape is typically blocked by its own pieces on the opposite side. In the simplified example shown in the diagram above, White uses the pattern and wins with 1.Qh7#.
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When we started adding a playful touch to chess learning, we looked through thousands of videos and hundreds of books to find the best resources out there. Here's our curated selection of the best content we encountered on Damiano's Mate. We also included some smaller creators who are growing fast and we believe deserve your attention. Check out these resources if you want to master this checkmate pattern.
Have a look at this very instructive episode of the “How to Checkmate” chess.com series. As usual, GM Simon Williams does a great job in providing engaging and pretty examples. This time all about Damiano’s Mate.
Another excellent chess book from a truly passionate master. Jeremy Silman breaks down complex concepts with incredible clarity, including Damiano's mate. Whether you're a novice or an intermediate, this book is a must-have.
This book by legendary László Polgár is massive. It has more than 5,000 exercises. Working through it you can develop the intuitive expertise that great players possess. For serious players of all levels.
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