Model mate
Encyclopedia
A model mate is a type of pure mate
checkmating
position in chess
in which not only is the checkmated king
and all vacant squares in its field attacked only once, and squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side (unless such a unit is necessarily pin
ned to the king), but all units of the mating side (with the possible exception of the king and pawns
) participate actively in forming the mating net.
Model mates are extremely rare in practical play, but they add value to chess problem
s as they are considered artistic. In fact, they form the basis of the so-called Bohemian school of chess composition, most fruitful in threemovers and moremovers. Model mates are very usual in helpmates and they appear often in selfmate
s too.
in two moves by Michal Dragoun
, Czech helpmate expert, published in 1993 in French magazine Phénix. It has two solutions ending in model mates (Black moves first in helpmates):
If all units of both colours are involved in a model mate, then it is an ideal mate
. Both mates in the above helpmate are ideal mates.
Pure mate
A pure mate is a checkmating position in chess in which the mated king and all vacant squares in its field are attacked only once, and squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side .Such a mate occurred in the...
checkmating
Checkmate
Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
position in chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
in which not only is the checkmated king
King (chess)
In chess, the king is the most important piece. The object of the game is to trap the opponent's king so that its escape is not possible . If a player's king is threatened with capture, it is said to be in check, and the player must remove the threat of capture on the next move. If this cannot be...
and all vacant squares in its field attacked only once, and squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side (unless such a unit is necessarily pin
Pin (chess)
In chess, a pin is a situation brought on by an attacking piece in which a defending piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable defending piece on its other side to capture by the attacking piece...
ned to the king), but all units of the mating side (with the possible exception of the king and pawns
Pawn (chess)
The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...
) participate actively in forming the mating net.
Model mates are extremely rare in practical play, but they add value to chess problem
Chess problem
A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using chess pieces on a chess board, that presents the solver with a particular task to be achieved. For instance, a position might be given with the instruction that White is to move first, and checkmate Black in two...
s as they are considered artistic. In fact, they form the basis of the so-called Bohemian school of chess composition, most fruitful in threemovers and moremovers. Model mates are very usual in helpmates and they appear often in selfmate
Selfmate
A selfmate is a chess problem in which white, moving first, must force black to deliver checkmate within a specified number of moves against his will. Selfmates were once known as sui-mates.The problem to the right is a relatively simple example...
s too.
Example
The diagram shows a helpmateHelpmate
A helpmate is a type of chess problem in which both sides cooperate in order to achieve the goal of checkmating Black. In a helpmate in n moves, Black moves first, then White, each side moving n times, to culminate in White's nth move checkmating Black...
in two moves by Michal Dragoun
Michal Dragoun
Michal Dragoun is a Czech professional ice hockey player. He played with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga during the 2010–11 Czech Extraliga season.-External links:...
, Czech helpmate expert, published in 1993 in French magazine Phénix. It has two solutions ending in model mates (Black moves first in helpmates):
- 1. Re3 Ke6 2. Ke4 Rh4#
- 1. Kc5 Kc7 2. Rc4 Nc6#
If all units of both colours are involved in a model mate, then it is an ideal mate
Ideal mate
In chess, an ideal mate is a checkmate position that is a special form of model mate. While in a model mate, each piece on the mating player's side participates in the mate, an ideal mate involves all the pieces of the mated player's as well, typically by blocking the mated king's field of...
. Both mates in the above helpmate are ideal mates.