It’s been said many times before that the more patterns you know the more successful you’re going to be in chess. So, what’s a pattern in chess? Well, there might be many types of patterns but among others matting patterns. Sometimes it's more positional patterns where it’s a typical idea that you employ in a certain position, it might be a knight maneuver or making a favorable piece exchange. So let’s take a look at what these patterns really are.
One of the most classic matting patterns is smothered mate which often consists of a king surrounded by its own pieces and an enemy knight mating.
Here are some typical examples of problems with smothered mate:
White to move
Did you find it? I hope it wasn’t too difficult.
1…Qa7+ 2. Kh1 Nf2+ 3. Kg1 Nh3+ 4. Kh1 and now the winning move 4…Qg1+! 5. Rxg1 Nf2#
This is the most basic of all smothered mates where the whole point is demonstrated very well. Please note that it wouldn’t helped for white to play Kf1 at some point because Qf2# it then possible. But when you feel ready move down for a bit trickier problem.
White to moveAs you can see the theme (smothered mate) is probably the same but this one is a bit harder. The usual 1.Qe5+ Ka8 2. Nc7+ Kb8 3. Na6+ Ka8 4.Qb8+ doesn’t work because as we know we aren’t allowed to place our king in check (The rook on e8 checks the white king on e1). So, how shall we do then? Well, the answer will be shown at the bottom of this article but have a little think first.
Moving on there’s a lot more patterns or themes, if you will, then just smothered mate. Quite frequently positional ideas might occur over and over again. Especially if you are playing the same opening again and again it’s crucial to know typical ideas that occur both in the opening and in the middlegame. For example take a look at the following position:
White to move
A position that might very well occur from the sicilian opening (1.e4 c5). Here white has the opportunity to get a stable advantage. Do you see it? Yes, 1.Bg5! is the move! The idea behind is quite simple. Exchanging the bishop for the knight and gaining the d5 square. Black is left with what’s referred to as the “bad bishop” because all his centrum pawns (d6, e5) are on the same squares as his bishop.
Hope you spotted the idea this time. Yes, gaining the d5 square for the knight. But how do you do that? 1.Bxg5 won’t work simply because of Nxf6 and the d5 square is protected. Once again the answer will be shown at the bottom but feel free to ponder over it for a few minutes.
Now we’re going to take a look at another theme that’s a must know if you want to become a decent chess player. It’s probably the theme that has won me the most blitz games over the years simply because it’s a direct attack on the king. Often times (in my games) the moves that lead the desired theme position are (but there are of course more ways to reach the thematic position):
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.0-0 0-0? 7.e5! Nd5 and the position down below is reached:
White to move
A strong human player would directly see what was going on in the position and would have played the move straight away (of course some thinking is necessary). But as I said earlier it’s an direct attack on the king. And yes, it’s 1.Bxh7+! going all in. After 1…Kxh7 2.Ng5+ Kg8 3.Qh5 (there no good way of stopping 4.Qh7# besides Qxg5 which of course is bad for black). Please note that 3…f6 still would be meet by 4.Qh7# (f6 is protected by the knight on g5). With this in mind let’s look are next position.
I hope that you got the message from the last position and that the first idea and question that pops in to your mind is: Does 1.Bxh7+ work? Take some time to work out all the lines and then compare your answer to mine at the bottom of this article.
There’s a lot more patterns and themes then I just mentioned here. I have heard many times in my youth that if you want to sharpen your tactical as well as your positional ability one of the best ways to do so is to study problems on a special theme and then move on to the next theme. That’s why, if you want to sharpen your chess qualities, I'm going to publish over the next couple of weeks some different themes.
Smothered mate
1.Qe5+ Ka8 2.Nc7+ Kb8 3.Nxe8+! Ka8 4.Nc7+ Kb8 5.Na6+ Ka8 6.Qb8+ Rxb8 7.Nc7#
A nice smothered mate were you had to remove the e8 rook in order to deliver mate.
Positional idea 1
1.Nh5! (Rybka prefers 1.Nf5 but that doesn’t illustrate my point so I will leave it for now) The idea is clear. Exchanging two times on f6 and then put a knight on d5. Of course (1…Nxh5 doesn’t work because of Bxe7 and Bxd6). 1…Re8 2.Bxf6! Taking with the right piece (2.Nxf6? would allow Bxf6) 2…Nxf6 (2…Bxf6 wouldn’t so great considering 3.Qg4 with some great attacking chances for white.) 3.Bxf6 Bxf6 Finally 4.Nd5
The Bxh7 sacrifice
1.Bxh7! Of course should we play that! 1…Kxh7 2.Ng5+ Here is the first road cross were there are two moves Kg8 and Kg6. We will begin with Kg8 and then continue with Kg6.
2…Kg8 3.Qh5 The position is very bad for black how can only wait to get mated. 3…Re8 (Giving the king the f8 square) 4.Qh7+ Kf8 5.Qh8+ Ng8 6.Ba3+! (The key move!) 6…Ne7 7.Nh7#
A very pretty mate! Okay, let’s move on to Kg6.
2…Kg6 (Most times there are now 3 ways of attacking the black king. Qd3+, Qg4 (used to be my favorite way of attacking the king) and h4. As all 3 moves are possible we have to consider each one.) Okay, let’s begin with Qd3+
3.Qd3+ Nf5! (The right move! 3…f5 runs into 4.Qg3! (with the threat of Nxe6+ wining the queen) 4…Qb6 The thing is that for the moment white doesn’t have a good “avdragare” but the bad position of the black king fully compensates for the sacrificed bishop as black always as to be careful about not getting mated and losing a lot of material.) 4.g4! Get’s the piece back with a okay position as blacks king isn’t ideally placed on g6. Okay, let’s consider Qg4.
3.Qg4 (with the obvious threat Nxe6+, winning) 3...f5 (Trying in some way to drive the queen away) 4.Qg3 (and we reach the same position as in 3.Qd3+ The king’s vulnerable position will always be a problem for black.)
3.h4 (The move I fancy the least. The idea is to play h5+ forcing Kh6 and then Nxe6+, discovered check with the bishop, winning) 3…Th8! (Stopping h5+ and placing the rook in a better position. That’s why I don’t like this move in this particular position) 4.Qg4 f5 5.Qg3 (Transposing in to the other variations we have looked at. But there is the possibility of playing 5.exf6 which also is good. After 5…Kxf6 6.Re1 (threatening Rxe6) 6…Qc8 7.Bf4 (just bringing the pieces out. Black’s king is so badly placed that you don’t need to have a mating attack)).
