Chess Basics: Advanced checkmating techniques
Most chess players find it hard to make a checkmate even though they fare well in developing and positioning their pieces.
Such players also find capturing the opponent’s pieces a difficult task. Generally, the reason behind this is an exaggerated focus on defensive play. In chess, defence is an important aspect of the game but one should not lay so much emphasis on it that
aggressive play is ignored.
An indispensible skill in chess is the art of making a checkmate. If a player excels in this ability, a checkmate can even be made in the opening game as opposed to the more usual endgame checkmates. Therefore, the skill of giving checkmates induces proactiveness
in a player, which is an integral attitude that any good chess player possesses.
If you lack this skill, there is no need to panic because we are going to explain to you some of the basic ways to make a checkmate.
If you are left with two bishops and a king whereas the opposing player has a king only then a checkmate is possible if the enemy king is taken to any corner of the board. The thing to note in this regard is that the two bishops will be best utilised if
they are present on adjacent squares.
In addition, if their king is not utilised in the attack, the bishops will not be effective. Once the enemy king has been taken into a corner, it can be checkmated by positioning the bishops in such a way that one attacks the square the enemy king is standing.
The other bishop should be placed in such a way that it blocks the king’s exit to the nearest rank or file. If the second bishop is blocking the rank, then the player’s own king should be defending the file nearest the enemy king and vice versa.
Another variation of a checkmate with a king and two bishops can occur when the enemy king is on the square next to the corner square. The checkmate position will occur when a bishop will be placed directly in front of the enemy king. This bishop will be
protected from capture by its own king standing directly behind it. Such a position of the king will also restrict the enemy king from escaping to the sides of the bishop directly in front of it. The second bishop will be used to make a check on the enemy
king, causing a checkmate.
Now we move on to a checkmate position which can occur with a bishop, knight and a king. This checkmate is a bit complicated to perform. If the mating player losses focus, a stalemate or a draw may occur. While performing this checkmate, the draw more often
than not occurs as a result of the fifty-move rule.
The first thing to keep in mind is to bring the enemy king to any corner of the chessboard. The knight should be placed either on the same rank or file as the enemy king. The position of the knight should be such that it is at a distance of one square from
the enemy king. The player’s own king should be placed adjacent to the knight on the same file or rank. The enemy king is then brought into a checkmate by the bishop.
These were some of the basic checkmates that can be performed by using the bishop, knight and the king. To put what you have learnt into practice, go ahead and play some chess.
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