My favorite checkmate is the smothered.
What is your favorite checkmate?
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LegendaryMinh
May 12, 2018
0
#1
The two rook "sweeping" checkmate was one of the first I learned a nice, easy classic.
I like the one where a protected queen corners a king against a border, too.
May 12, 2018
0
#4
Though I rarely have had the chance, smothered mate is probably my favorite.
I also like checkmates that do not involve a Queen nor 2 Rooks.
This is probably a bit masochistic, but I can’t help but get a kick out of someone checkmating me when I didn’t see it coming. That’s a “Gotcha! Mate”. Or maybe a “Get Your Head Out Your Arse Mate” 😂
I also like checkmates that do not involve a Queen nor 2 Rooks.
This is probably a bit masochistic, but I can’t help but get a kick out of someone checkmating me when I didn’t see it coming. That’s a “Gotcha! Mate”. Or maybe a “Get Your Head Out Your Arse Mate” 😂
May 12, 2018
0
#5
Aww, just ONE favorite 
If I need to choose one, I think I need to go with the smothered mate. There is something elegant about trapping the King by their own pieces, especially when a lone Knight delivers mate (lone meaning without smothered assistance via a pin). This mate is also fairly elusive and difficult to find sometimes (although knowing this mating pattern certainly helps greatly).
I know that some specialize in trying to get certain mates they like, but I feel this is a bit inaccurate. If you are looking for mate via one method, you rob yourself of the creativity to find a better ("better" meaning either "more efficient" or "more aesthetically pleasing" based on what type of player you are) checkmate.
May 12, 2018
0
#6
If I recall correctly ghost_of_pushwood, didn't you mention this being your favorite checkmate on another forum too? Either way, it is a really cool mate. Unfortunately, this is way harder to get in a game than smothered mates are.
Even though I mentioned earlier that smothered mates were my choice - other notable ones are close behind. I also like the patterns for B + N (and K) vs K for example. Of course, there are also the many mates without names too, usually with the King lured towards the center of the board where it's friendly forces restrict critical escape squares.
There is a notable argument to be made that checkmates have not aesthetic value by themselves, but value through the patterns and themes utilized to result in that mating position. In this lens especially, mates that are realistic, but difficult to achieve have higher value - and the mate in post # 6 is a great example of this (primarily due to its rarity in OTB play).
my favorite checkmates are those I forced and made me win
Sep 20, 2018
0
#10
Tbh my favorite mate is between 3, Kiss of Death, Arabian Mate and Anastasia's Mate, though I've only managed to pull off Kiss of Death, and the others I haven't, mostly because I like to exchange my knights early on for an advantage and because I'm a bad player xd.
