How do I mate thee; let me count the ways - part 1
Part 1: Mating by individual pieces
Each piece mates in it's own way. Below are common ways each piece does it's job.
The Queen The Queen can often give mate with no assistance from minor pieces. Here are some common patterns everyone should be aware of. |  |
 |  |
|  |
The Rook A lone rook generally mates a king on the back rank when the king is somehow prevented from leaving that rank. |  |
|  |
 |  |
Bishops sometimes work in tandem
 | Bishops sometimes criss-cross
 |
 | Knights, mating alone or in pairs, mate by smothering. The King's escape squares can be blocked physically by one's own pieces, by the opponent's pieces or by controlling those squares. Often the Knight simultaneously checks and controls an escape square. |
 |  |
