Checkmate Lesson #1

Since the goal in chess is to checkmate your opponents king, it is very important to learn proper checkmating theory. One of the best and most common checkmates is the back rank mate, often because of the castled king's restricted movement. We can take this mating combination, performed by a rook or a queen, and try to gain a new perspective. When you are being attacked by a back rank mate, you might have wished you had moved a pawn earlier on. But a great way to defend back rank mates is to simply keep a general defense on the eight squares closest to you, preferably with a rook or a queen, because the ability to attack or defend horizontally comes in handy when your king has no escape. We may not always have enough pieces in the final stages of the game to protect our king and attack our opponents king at the same time, and a great thing to do late in the game is to push pawns. Your opponent can attack your pawns, but they may have a restricted king, and if defense ever leaves you opponents back rank, try and look for possible checkmates. Just remember, NEVER flee your defense from the back rank if your king is trapped and your opponent can attack your king, excepting that you can kill the attacking piece.