If you’ve started to learn basic chess strategy, chances are you’ve learned some important opening guidelines. You know to develop your pieces, castle your king, and control the center.
Yet, many beginners still lose games in under 10 moves! This can happen for several reasons – ignoring opening principles such as development or king safety; incorrectly applying these same principles; or falling for opening traps.
Luckily, it is easy to avoid the most common checkmating patterns that occur in the opening. In this article, we’ll look at several common patterns, see what mistakes were made, and how we can correct them.
The Quickest Games: Fool’s Mate and Scholar’s Mate
To be fair, Fool’s Mate is not a common pattern, even in the games of beginners. However, it’s notable for being the shortest possible chess game.
1. f3? e4
White’s first move is already a mistake, opening up his king to attacks without gaining any control of the center.
2. g4?? Qh4#!
The white king has nowhere to escape, the check cannot be blocked, and the queen cannot be captured. Mate in just two moves!
While Fool’s Mate is the fastest checkmate possible, the quickest finish you’re likely to encounter in an actual game is the Scholar’s Mate. There are many possible patterns that lead to this mate, for instance:
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Qf3
Another opening principle you’ve likely heard is “don’t bring your queen out too early.” This is true, and Qf3 is not a great move for white. However, it does create a dangerous threat, one which can quickly end the game if black doesn’t see it.
3. … Nc6?? 4. Qxf7#
The white queen delivers mate, protected by the bishop on c4. Black could easily prevent this mate with a variety of moves – Nf6, Qe7, or Qf6 would all suffice.
Fool’s Mate and Scholar’s Mate both take advantage of the weakest squares in each player’s camp at the game’s start – f2 (for white) and f7 (for black). These squares require careful defense in the opening, and are also likely points of attack to focus on if your opponent does not defend well.
Legal’s Mate
Sacrificing a queen for checkmate is always fun – and in Legal’s Mate, it happens just a few moves into the game!
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5?
Better is Bxf3. Bh5, while maintaining the pin, sets up a dangerous trap.
6. Nxe5! Bxd1??
Taking the queen is quite tempting, but unfortunately for black, it spells checkmate in just two moves! Better is to recapture the knight with Nxe5, losing only a pawn after 7. Qxh5.
7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8. Nd5#!
A beautiful checkmate for white, who developed all his pieces to participate in the victory.
Tricks and Traps
White the following openings don’t result in mate, they do result in serious problems for the player with black if they aren’t careful. First, in Petroff’s Defense:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4?
Black should not take the pawn immediately; chasing away the white knight first, with d6, is a better move.
4. Qe2 Nf6??
Black should have played d5, eventually losing a pawn after 5. d3 Qe7 6. dxe4 Qxe5 7. exd5. Instead, he now loses his queen!
5. Nc6+!
And now, because the black king is being checked by the white queen on e2, the black queen will be captured by the knight on c6 next move.
Another potential pitfall for black can occur on the second move of the game.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6?
This opening is known as the Damiano Defense, and while it is played by many beginners looking for a way to defend the e5 pawn, it is a very weak move. Better options include Nc6, d6, and Nf6, among others, with Nc6 probably being the best move for new players. White can quickly take advantage of this mistake with a forceful sacrifice:
3. Nxe5+! fxe6 4. Qh5+ g6?
Black’s best move is Ke7, but that also leads to a long, painful experience. On the other hand, this move immediately loses a rook.
5. Qxe5+ Be7 6. Qxh8
And white is easily winning.
Summing Up
One common theme should become clear in all of these traps: the player who suffered ignored their king safety, and paid dearly. King safety is one of the most important principles in the opening, and unless you have a good reason not to, you should always castle early! Castling is the easiest way to prevent early opening checkmates, and allow yourself to get a playable position into the middlegame and beyond.
