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.

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Start
Pieces
Bishop + rook
Level
Intermediate
Mating side
White
Also known as
morphy mate, fil ve kale köşe matı

Moves

1.Bf6#

1.Bf6 checks along the long diagonal. The g1 rook covers g8 and g7, and Black's own pawn sits on h7: mate.

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How to recognise Morphy's Mate

  • The king is in the corner (h8) with no g-pawn.
  • A rook holds the g-file and a bishop the long diagonal.

How to defend

  • If the g-file is open, don't leave your king in the corner.
  • Block the long diagonal by placing a piece on f6 (f3).
Morphy's Mate: the final position

Frequently asked questions

Morphy's vs Pillsbury's mate?

In Morphy's the bishop gives check with rook support; in Pillsbury's the rook gives check with bishop support.

Who was Paul Morphy?

The 19th-century American prodigy, regarded as the strongest player of his time.

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Similar checkmate patterns

  • Pillsbury's Mate — In Pillsbury's mate the rook checks along the g-file and a bishop covers h8 from the long diagonal.
  • 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.
  • Opera Mate — The Opera mate is a rook mating on the back rank, protected by a bishop.

← All checkmate tacticsNext: Pillsbury's Mate →