Chess Guide for the Intermediate Player/Common checkmate patterns

Major pieces Queen tleft kd ql kl Queen checkmate To checkmate with a king and queen, you must first force the enemy king to the edge of the board, which the queen can do by herself. Then, you have to bring your king to the edge as well (be careful not to stalemate the opponent). Mate can be forced in at most ten moves from any king and queen vs king position, unless the lone king can immediately capture the queen. Two major pieces tleft rl kd ql kl Checkmate This is the easiest to execute of any checkmate. Keep in mind that if you are using two rooks and the enemy king gets within striking distance and could potentially win a rook, create a battery with your rook, so that the enemy king is forced to move away. On the next move, you can checkmate. Checkmate example tleft kd rl rl kl Two rooks will soon checkmate the enemy king. tleft rl kd rl kl 1. Ra4+ The series of checks begin. tleft kd rl rl kl 1...Kf5 Kg3 for Black would be instant death. So Black attempts to approach the rooks. tleft rl kd rl kl 2. Rb5+ Another check. Black cannot flee to the fourth rank... tleft kd rl rl kl 2...Ke6 ...so he flees to the sixth rank while continuing to approach the rooks. tleft rl kd rl kl 3. Ra6+ Yet another check. tleft kd rl rl kl 3...Kd7 Black is getting really close to the rooks! Will he be able to stop the rooks? tleft rl kd rl kl 4. Rb7+ The fourth check. tleft rl kd rl kl 4...Kc8 The black king has gotten close enough! He is entertaining thoughts of capturing a rook, or at least delaying White's plans for a few moves. Of course, if White gets greedy and attempts to checkmate Will work on it more soon Rook tleft kd kl rl Rook checkmate To checkmate with a rook, construct a "box" with the rook that is protected by your king. The box becomes smaller and smaller until the enemy king is forced into the corner. Mate can be forced in at most sixteen moves.