This mating pattern is called the Kiss of Death Mate because the Queen delivers checkmate from a square adjacent to the opponent's King, "kissing it", so to speak.
The pattern typically involves a Queen and King, but its definition can be extended to include all unnamed mating patterns where the Queen delivers checkmate from a nearby square, regardless of the piece that protects it. In the simplified example shown in the diagram above, White uses the pattern and wins with 1.Qd7#.
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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 the Kiss of Death 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.
Ok. This is crazy. In this video by Chessbrah Aman Hambleton delivers a Kiss of Death checkmate with all (ALL!) of his pieces on their starting squares. No words. You must see it to understand.
This is the first workbook in an excellent series written by former Women’s World Champion Susan Polgar. Focused on checkmates, ideal for beginners and young players alike.
This massive selection of exercises by Fred Reinfeld is a true classic. It has literally helped (and continues to help) generations of chess enthusiasts. A must-read.
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