Chess lessons › Checkmate patterns
Légal’s mate
A pinned knight moves anyway, the queen falls, and a bishop and two knights mate the king.
The idea
A pinned knight moves anyway, because taking the queen allows mate.
- The bishop pins the knight on f3 to the queen, not to the king.
- Nxe5 gives up the queen. If Bxd1, then Bxf7+ and the king must go to e7.
- Then the knight from c3 mates on d5.
In a game: When a bishop pins your knight to your queen, ask what happens if the queen is taken.
How the lesson begins
Black’s bishop on g4 pins the knight on f3 to the queen on d1. A pin to the king is absolute: the pinned piece may not move at all. A pin to the queen is not. The knight may move, and then the queen can be taken.
In the trap this lesson is about, White moves the knight anyway and gives up the queen. If Black takes it, White’s bishop and two knights mate the king. Step through the start of it.
- 5. Nxe5 The pinned knight takes a pawn. Now the queen on d1 can be taken.
- 5... Bxd1 Black takes the queen.
- 6. Bxf7+ The bishop takes on f7 with check.
A question
Black is in check. Where can the king go?
Show the answer
Only to e7.
Right. The knight on e5 covers d7 and guards the bishop on f7. Black’s own queen and bishop stand on d8 and f8. The king has one square, and it walks into the mate.