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Mating Pattern: Anastasia's Mate

Mating Pattern: Anastasia's Mate

gibberishlwmetlkwn
| 6 | Endgames

In chess, there are a variety of matting patterns.  All follow basic principles: limit the king from any square he can move to while threatening him without retaliation from the other pieces.  Commonly found is the Anastasia's Mate, used frequently when "storming" a castled position.

The Anastasia's Mate is characterized by the following guidelines:

  1. Must involve a king in or adjacent to a corner square
  2. Needs to use both the knight and a rook
  3. The knight must be limiting two of the king's escape squares
  4. There must be a pawn obstructing the king's escape, and a piece on the back rank - or whichever row or column the king stands upon
  5. The rook must deliver the final mate

Example 1:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Example 2:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still not convinced?  See it here, in a master game (full credit to Mark Lowery for finding this wonderful example online!):