Corner Mate

In the corner mate a rook cuts off the g-file and a knight checks the cornered king. The king's own h-pawn blocks its escape.

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Start
Pieces
Knight + rook
Level
Beginner
Mating side
White
Also known as
corner mate, at ve kale köşe matı

Moves

1.Nf7#

1.Nf7 gives check. The g1 rook covers g8 and g7, and Black's own pawn sits on h7: mate.

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How to recognise Corner Mate

  • The king is in the corner and the g-file is open.
  • The rook cuts the adjacent file and the knight checks.

How to defend

  • Don't keep your king in the corner on an open g-file.
  • Push the h-pawn one square to create an escape.
Corner Mate: the final position

Frequently asked questions

Corner vs smothered mate?

In the smothered mate all squares are blocked by its own pieces; in the corner mate an enemy rook covers some of them.

Where does the knight come from?

From any square that reaches f7: e5, g5, d6, d8 or h6.

Continue with lessons

Similar checkmate patterns

  • Arabian Mate — The Arabian mate is a rook and knight mating a king in the corner.
  • Smothered Mate — In a smothered mate every square around the king is occupied by its own pieces and a single knight gives mate.
  • Morphy's Mate — In Morphy's mate a bishop checks the cornered king along the long diagonal while a rook cuts off the g-file; the king's own h7 pawn blocks the escape.

← All checkmate tacticsNext: Anderssen's Mate →