Fool's Mate

Fool's Mate, also known as the "Two-Move Checkmate", is the quickest possible checkmate in chess. A prime example consists of the moves:

1. f3 e5
2. g4 Qh4#

resulting in the position shown. (The pattern can have slight variations, for example White might play f2–f4 instead of f2–f3 or move the g-pawn first, and Black might play e7–e6 instead of e7–e5.)


a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Fool's Mate – White is checkmated

Read more about Fool's Mate:  Details, Similar Trap

Famous quotes containing the words fool and/or mate:

    Funny ain’t it. Here I am worrying about a woman. Men don’t worry much about women when they’re around. But when it gets way off from home like we are now, and where he knows he’s going a lot further away ... I mean that’s when a woman gets workin’ in your mind. You reckon you’re a fool for not noticin’ before how, how big a part of things they be. There ain’t nothin’ like seein’ a woman’s face.
    Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)

    So slowly the hot elephant hearts
    grow full of desire,
    and the great beasts mate in secret at last,
    hiding their fire.
    —D.H. (David Herbert)