Smothered mate puzzles

A smothered mate is delivered by a knight to a king that cannot move because its own pieces surround it. It is one of the oldest and most satisfying patterns in chess.

The classic version is the queen sacrifice that forces a rook to block the last free square, followed by a knight check from f7 or f2 - but it turns up in many shapes.

How to spot it

• A king hemmed in by its own pawns and rook is a target for any knight check.
• Look for a sacrifice that makes a defender fill the last empty square.
• Knight checks cannot be blocked, only captured or escaped.