This mating pattern is called the Triangle Mate because it creates a shape on the board that resembles a triangle.
The pattern (also called Fishtail Mate) involves a Queen and a Rook attacking a King with limited mobility. The Queen, protected by the Rook, delivers mate from a square adjacent to the opponent's King. It is a great demonstration of how a Queen and a Rook can work together very efficiently. In the simplified example shown in the diagram above, White uses the pattern and wins with 1.Qe5#.
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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 Triangle 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 video is a must-watch. Chess Thugs managed to pull off an incredibly funny presentation of most important checkmate patterns. Triangle Mate included.
Don’t skip this wonderful book. Antonio Gude has done MASSIVE work, and this introduction to mating patterns is probably the most complete one out there. Plus, it’s a pleasure to read.
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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