Is This Mate?

Last updated November 24, 2022

I am regularly asked by younger players - "Is this Mate?".

Remember Dr Dave's ABC . . .

  •    A   Avoid - can I move my King out of check? There are 8 squares around the King to consider.
  •    B   Block - can I move a piece or pawn between my King and the piece that is checking me?
  •    C   Capture - can I capture the piece that is checking me?

If you cannot do any of ABC, then it is checkmate.

If you can do one or more of these then decide which is the best, make the move and continue the game . . .

For example . . .

 [White "Black to move."] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3R3N/5kp1/2pPp3/4P1P1/3n2PK/r7/8 b - - 0 1"] *

White has just moved Nh7 checking the Black King.

  • Avoid - No.  There are 6 squares the King might move to but - e7, f7, g7 are attacked by the Rook; e6, f5 are attacked by pawns; g5 is attacked by the Knight, and the King is not allowed to move into check.
  • Block - No.  A Knight cannot be blocked, because it jumps over pieces. 
  • Capture - No.  There are no Black pieces attacking h7.

Black cannot do any of ABC, so it is checkmate.

Here is another position from a club game (from my memory, so not exact) where White, a very new beginner, asked me "Is this Mate?"

 [White "White to move."] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r4rk1/pp3ppp/2nbb3/2p5/4P3/5Nq1/PPP1Q1PP/R1B1KB1R w KQ - 0 1"] *

  • Avoid - Yes.  The King can move to d1 or d2.  On realising this, the player began to make his move. "WAIT" I said . . . 
  • Block - Yes.  The White Queen can get in the way of the check by playing Qf2.  "But my Queen will be taken." he said, without realising his King could recapture for a swap of Queens.
  • Capture - Yes.  This beginner had not spotted that the Black Queen could be taken by hxg3!

All 3 of ABC were possible!  "Which is best?" I said.  The Black Queen was taken off the board immediately!  Always look for the best possible way to escape from check using all of ABC.

I have found this site on the web with a quiz of 12 "Is it mate" positions.  (I have not looked at the rest of the site.)

Also, here is some practice on Lichess of escaping from check using ABC.