Romantic-Style Finish: True Lone Knight Checkmate On The Edge

Thanks for commenting  Smothered mate is really rare and pretty-looking. Plus, this one with the lone Knight checkmating on the edge of the board is even more rare than the pattern with checkmate in the corner; perhaps that is why this checkmate always feels special when played out in a chess game.

Yes, it's very rare, and looks beautiful on the board - Plus, smothered mates gives one a feeling of eternal satisfaction ! And I agree: the lone Knight case is something I haven't seen before at all! When beginning chess, I was told that the "magic" number of pieces for an attack was 3. However, this is a completely different case! Amazing that you were able to find it . 

Yeah, even a single piece (even a pawn sometimes) is all needed to deliver checkmate. The "number of pieces for an attack" being "3" was probably a misunderstanding. The actual meaning of that chess concept is that usually "3" is the "magic number" for a successful attack in comparing active attackers to active defenders. If Black's King is under attack - let us imagine that one Black Knight is defending the King shelter, but White has four attackers (4vs1 gives the "magic 3"), then White usually has a method of crashing through for checkmate.

This "magic 3" idea can even apply to a castled King, but obviously it is a guideline. A single tempo or a slightly exposed King may change the number required for the attack to work and as you found out with your own first smothered mate game @Aida_Amin if the opponent King is "too defended" sometimes they can run into smothered checkmate when their own pieces get in their own way and take away critical King escape squares

For those unaware, check out the first ever smothered mate @Aida_Amin got here: 

https://www.chess.com/blog/Aida_Amin/chess-game 

Yes, you are right - The "magic" rule applies to a good attack in comparing attackers to defenders, as you have said. Most of the games I have been shown (when starting chess), were about getting to that number in the middlegame; however, what I had failed to realize was that most of the times, activating your attacking pieces and being aggressive is often all you need for a successful attack! 

Yes, my opponent definitely got too defensive with his pieces, as they blocked the King's exit. I definitely learned something new with this game !

As it was a discovered check, I won’t say it’s absolutely brilliant, but great job finding that!

Love it.

Beautiful well played sir. You had that king on the run!