Chess Level 6 Lesson 4: Tactics On The F Pawn

The f pawn is the weakest pawn at the start of the game because only the king protects and if only the king was protecting a piece, then likely if you capture that piece then CHECKMATE!

1. Fool's Mate

White goes first

Q in front of the file's name means queen moving.

# behind the move means checkmate

Nothing in front of the file's name means pawn moving.

a.White's Moves

e4 f6 d4 g5 Qh5#

b. Black's Moves

f3 e4 g3 Qh4#

2. Legal's Mate

N in front of the file's name means knight moving.

B in front of the file's name means bishop moving.

K in front of the file's name means king moving.

x in front of the file's name but second character in the whole written move means captures.

+ behind the move means check

a.White's Moves

e4 e5 Nf3 d6 Bc4 Bg4 Nc3 g6 Nxe5 Bxd1(Sacrificing the queen) Bxf7+ Ke7 Nd5#

b. Black's Moves

a3 e5 e4 Nf6 d3 Bc5 Bg5 Nc6 g3 Nxe4 Bxd8(Sacrificing the queen) Bxf2+ Ke2 Nd4#

3. Scholar's Mate

a. White's Moves

e5 Nc6 Qh5 e5 Bc4 Nf6 Qxf7#

b. Black's Moves

a3 e4 Nc3 Qh4 e4 Bc5 Nf3 Qxf2#

4. Stufford Gambit

Lowercase letter means pawn on letter file

Piece before lowercase letter means piece on letter file means that piece on letter file does something

a. White's Moves

a3 e5 e4 Nf6 Nf3 Nxe4 Nc3 Nxc3 dxc3

b. Black's Moves

e4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5 Nc6 Nxc6 dxc6

5. Smothered Mate

a. White's Moves

e4 b6 Bc4 a5 Nf3 Ra7 Ng5 Nc6 Bxf7#

b. Black's Moves

a3 e5 b3 Bc5 a4 Nf6 Ra2 Ng4 Nc3 Bxf2#

When we get to the topic, We'll learn that a lone knight can deliver smothered mate

6. Knight and Bishop Mate

a. White's Moves

e4 b6 Nf3 d6 Bc4 Bg4 Ne5 Bxd1(Sacrificing the queen) Bxf7#

b. Black's Moves

a3 e5 b3 Nf6 d3 Bc5 Bg5 Ne4 Bxd7(Sacrificing the queen) Bxf2#

Sometimes, bishop and knight mates come in the endgames

7. Fork Tricks

a.White's Moves

e4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Bc4 Nxe4 Ng5(Forking the knight and pawn) h6 Nxf7(Forks the queen and rook and the king can't take because of the friend bishop) Qe7(Better move than saving the rook on h8) Nxh8(Captures the rook but not a checkmate)

b.Black's Moves

a3 e5 e4 Nf6 Nf3 Bc5 Nxe5 Ng4(Forking the knight and pawn) h3 Nxf2(Forks the queen and rook and the king can't take because of the friend bishop) Qe7(Better move than saving the rook on h8) Nxh8(Captures the rook but not a checkmate)