Model mate

<p>A model mate is a type of <a href="/facts/Pure_mate/Jn83eoVn">pure mate</a> <a href="/facts/Checkmate/0TrSapPq">checkmating</a> position in <a href="/facts/Chess/47ykvkHF">chess</a> in which:
</p>
<ul><li>the checkmated <a href="/facts/King_(chess)/SK8neGEX">king</a> and all vacant squares in its field are attacked only once;</li>
<li>squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side (unless such a unit is necessarily <a href="/facts/Pin_(chess)/Bjo2jmcw">pinned</a> to the king); and</li>
<li>all units of the mating side (with the possible exception of the king and <a href="/facts/Pawn_(chess)/Xk3E1UIN">pawns</a>) participate actively in forming the mating net.</li></ul>
<p>Model mates are extremely rare in practical play, but they add value to <a href="/facts/Chess_problem/jVyYlAXs">chess problems</a> as they are considered artistic. In fact, they form the basis of the so-called <a href="/facts/Chess_composer/8ynqUbjX">Bohemian school</a> of chess composition, most fruitful in threemovers and <a href="/facts/Moremover/6rp2rgKP">moremovers</a>. Model mates are very usual in helpmates and they appear often in <a href="/facts/Selfmate/aA9rDuwy">selfmates</a> too.
</p>

Model mate open-in-new

Model mate