Trap the king with its own pieces and deliver a smothered mate.
Timer starts on click. Solve faster for more points.
Want to go deeper? The Art of the Smothered Mate
What is a smothered mate?
A smothered mate occurs when a knight delivers checkmate to a king completely surrounded by its own pieces with no escape square.
The knight is key
Only a knight can deliver smothered mate because it jumps over pieces. Position your knight to give check while the king’s own pieces block every exit.
Force the king to the edge
Drive the Black king toward a corner or edge where its own pieces will crowd it in and leave it no room to escape.
Deliver the knight check
Once the king is surrounded by its own pieces, land the knight on the mating square. The king has nowhere to run.