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Play ChessMini ChessSurvivalTakesCheckSmotheredMate in 1Mate in 2Mate in 3Chess SolitaireChain CaptureKing and PawnRook EndgameZugzwangQueen vs Pawn
Top PlayersBlogWhat Is Stalemate and How Do You Avoid It?A Guide to Chess SolitaireChess Tactics for Beginners: Forks, Pins, and SkewersSurvival Chess: How to Keep Your Knight Alive
Play ChessMini ChessSurvivalTakesCheckSmotheredMate in 1Mate in 2Mate in 3Chess SolitaireChain CaptureKing and PawnRook EndgameZugzwangQueen vs Pawn
Top PlayersBlogWhat Is Stalemate and How Do You Avoid It?A Guide to Chess SolitaireChess Tactics for Beginners: Forks, Pins, and SkewersSurvival Chess: How to Keep Your Knight Alive

Smothered

Trap the king with its own pieces and deliver a smothered mate.

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Ready to play?

Timer starts on click. Solve faster for more points.

Want to go deeper? The Art of the Smothered Mate

Rules
  • You play White.
  • The black King's own pieces trap it.
  • Stalemate counts as a loss.

How to Play

1

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.