Tactic Any phase Rating 1000-1500

Smothered Mate

A smothered mate is a checkmate — almost always by a knight — where the enemy king is boxed in by its own pieces and has no square to escape to. The king is literally smothered by its own army.

Smothered Mate — example position♜♚♞♟♟♚

The knight on f7 has delivered checkmate. The black king is smothered by its own rook on g8 and the g7/h7 pawns, so the knight check is mate.

Practise Smothered Mate ▸Study this conceptGet a training plan

Source for further study: Polgar, Chess in 5334 Positions.

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