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The Smothered Mate

Part of the Tactics section of Coddy's Chess journey. Lesson 32 of 48.

A king surrounded by his own army looks safe. Look again: every friend beside him is a door he cannot use. A boxed king falls to any check that has no answer - and a knight's check has no line to block. That is the smothered mate: the loser builds the cage, the knight brings the key.

Try it yourselfBeginner

Position 1 of 6

WatchThe safest-looking king on the board. Watch.

The starting position.

0 / 1

All 6 positions

All lessons in Tactics

1Free Pieces

Hanging Pieces Counting Attackers Good Trades, Bad Trades Is It Safe?Puzzles: Take What Is Free Recap: Free Pieces

4Skewers and Discoveries

The Skewer The Discovered Attack Discovered Check Double Check Puzzles: Hidden Weapons Recap: Skewers & Discoveries

7Mate in Two

Check, Reply, Mate The Quiet First Move All the Escape Squares Puzzles: Mate in Two 1 Puzzles: Mate in Two 2 Recap: Mate in Two

2The Fork

One Move, Two Threats Knight Forks Pawn and Queen Forks Seeing Forks Coming Puzzles: Fork Hunt 1 Puzzles: Fork Hunt 2 Recap: The Fork

5Removing the Defender

The Overloaded Piece Capture the Defender Deflection Puzzles: Guard Duty Recap: Removing Defenders

8Winning Endgames

King and Queen vs King King and Rook vs King The Pawn Race Opposition Project: Finish the Game

3The Pin

Pieces That Cannot Move The Relative Pin Winning a Pinned Piece Breaking a Pin Puzzles: Pin and Win Recap: The Pin

6Mate Patterns

Back Rank RevisitedThe Smothered MateQueen Next to the King Rook Roller and Edge Mates Puzzles: Mate in One 1 Puzzles: Mate in One 2 Recap: Mate Patterns