This mating pattern is called Smothered Mate because when the opponent's King gets checkmated, it is completely surrounded by its pieces. This mate often arises from a Queen sacrifice, and is one of the most aesthetically pleasing ways to win a game.
The pattern involves a Knight that, by itself, delivers mate against a King that has no escape squares due to the obstruction of its own friendly pieces. In the simplified example shown in the diagram above, White uses the pattern and wins with 1.Nf7#.
Designed with Love in Italy
These chess icons are our indie studio's tribute to chess lovers around the world. A way of making chess more visual and fun. You can use the icons for free in publicly accessible content, simply by crediting us (see our Licensing Policy). Each icon is paired with examples and numbered insights to help you pick up ideas quickly and talk about chess with confidence. You can get the cards here.
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 Smothered 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.
This inexpensive book by Torsten B. Mattsson is a little gem. Aimed at beginners, it presents 60 different patterns in a unique and smart way: bare pattern > mate in one > mate in two.
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.
Skip to content
