Lolli's Mate

In Lolli's mate a pawn on f6 protects g7 and the queen mates there. It often appears when the opponent has played ...g6.

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Start
Pieces
Queen + pawn
Level
Intermediate
Mating side
White
Also known as
lolli mate, f6 piyonu ile mat

Moves

1.Qg7#

1.Qg7 gives check. The queen is protected by the f6 pawn; the king can't take it. The queen also covers f8 and h8: mate.

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How to recognise Lolli's Mate

  • White has a pawn on f6 (f3 for Black).
  • Black has played ...g6; h6 and g7 are weak.
  • The queen reaches h6 and goes into g7.

How to defend

  • Exchange the f6 pawn or guard g7 with a piece (e.g. a bishop).
  • After ...g6, don't trade off your dark-squared bishop early.
Lolli's Mate: the final position

Frequently asked questions

Who was Lolli?

Giambattista Lolli, an 18th-century Italian chess writer.

Does it work against a fianchetto?

Yes, especially once the g7 bishop has been traded and the dark squares are weak.

Continue with lessons

Similar checkmate patterns

  • Damiano's Mate — In Damiano's mate the queen checks on h7, supported by a pawn on g6.
  • Greco's Mate — In Greco's mate a bishop covers g8 from afar while a queen or rook checks down the h-file and mates the cornered king.
  • Pillsbury's Mate — In Pillsbury's mate the rook checks along the g-file and a bishop covers h8 from the long diagonal.

← All checkmate tacticsNext: Greco's Mate →