Mating patterns
See how each pattern looks fully executed, then choose which to practise.
Anastasia's mate
Example mate
Anastasia's mate
A knight teams up with a rook or queen to trap the enemy king between the edge of the board and one of its own pieces.
PractiseArabian mate
Example mate
Arabian mate
A knight and a rook work together to corner the enemy king, with the knight guarding the rook and covering an escape square.
PractiseBack-rank mate
Example mate
Back-rank mate
The king is checkmated on its back rank, hemmed in by its own pawns with no escape.
PractiseBoden's mate
Example mate
Boden's mate
Two bishops on criss-crossing diagonals deliver mate to a king whose escape squares are blocked by its own pieces.
PractiseDouble bishop mate
Example mate
Double bishop mate
Two bishops on adjacent diagonals mate a king that is hemmed in by its own pieces.
PractiseDovetail mate
Example mate
Dovetail mate
A queen mates right next to the king, whose only flight squares are blocked by its own pieces.
PractiseHook mate
Example mate
Hook mate
A rook, knight and pawn combine, using an enemy pawn to restrict the king's escape squares.
PractiseKill box mate
Example mate
Kill box mate
A rook stands next to the enemy king, supported by a queen that also seals the king's escape squares, trapping it in a deadly 3x3 box.
PractiseSmothered mate
Example mate
Smothered mate
A knight delivers mate to a king that cannot move because it is completely hemmed in (smothered) by its own pieces.
PractiseVukovic mate
Example mate
Vukovic mate
A rook and knight team up to mate the king. The rook gives mate while supported by another piece, and the knight covers the king's escape squares.
PractiseOpera mate
Example mate
Opera mate
A rook delivers mate supported by a bishop, with the king pinned to the edge — named after Morphy's famous game at the Paris opera.
PractisePillsbury's mate
Example mate
Pillsbury's mate
A rook delivers mate along a file or rank while a bishop covers the king's only escape square.
PractiseÉpaulette mate
Example mate
Épaulette mate
The queen mates a king flanked on both sides by its own pieces — the 'epaulettes' — which block every escape square.
PractiseCorner mate
Example mate
Corner mate
A knight delivers mate to a king tucked into the corner and boxed in by its own pieces.
PractiseSwallow's tail mate
Example mate
Swallow's tail mate
Also called the gueridon mate: a queen mates the king while its diagonal flight squares are blocked by its own pieces.
PractiseMorphy's mate
Example mate
Morphy's mate
A bishop delivers mate with the support of a rook, the king's escape blocked by its own pawn.
PractiseBlind swine mate
Example mate
Blind swine mate
Two rooks — the 'blind swine' — double up on the seventh rank and combine to force mate.
PractiseTriangle mate
Example mate
Triangle mate
A queen mates with support from a rook a few squares away, the two forming a triangle that covers the king's escape squares.
PractiseBalestra mate
Example mate
Balestra mate
A queen and bishop combine: the bishop cuts off the king's escape while the queen delivers the final blow.
PractiseMixed patterns challenge
Solve a shuffled mix of every pattern without knowing which one to look for. The pattern is revealed after each puzzle, and a session breakdown shows which mates you’ve mastered.
Woodpecker training
Pick your patterns, level and set size, then solve that exact same set cycle after cycle. Each round should be faster and more accurate — time and first-try accuracy are compared per cycle.