Smothered mate

What is a smothered mate?

A smothered mate is a mate by a knight against a king hemmed in by its own pieces. The king has no escape square, and a knight's check can never be blocked. If the knight can't be captured either, it's mate.

The most famous pattern is called Philidor's Legacy. The king is in the corner, the knight gives check and drives it back and forth, the queen is sacrificed on the square next to the king, the rook has to take, and the knight mates. It's one of the most beautiful mates in chess, and it still happens in real games today.

Smothered mate is rare, which makes the puzzles here little gems. Look for a king in the corner, boxed in behind its own pawns and pieces, and for a square where the knight can give check without being captured.

How the puzzles work

There are 150 puzzles here. Choose a level above the board. Within each level the puzzles get harder and harder, and when you come back you pick up where you left off.

Your opponent makes the first move, then it's your turn. If you get stuck, Hint shows which piece to move, and Show the solution plays the rest. The theme only shows once the puzzle is done, but here you already know what you're looking for.

In Puzzle training you get puzzles in this theme at your own level, and see how you're doing in each theme.

More puzzles

• Mate in one
• Mate in two
• Mate in three
• Fork
• Pin
• Skewer
• Discovered attack
• Double check
• Sacrifice
• Deflection
• Attraction
• Hanging piece
• In-between move
• Back-rank mate
• Promotion
• Endgame
• Rook endgames
• Pawn endgames
• Zugzwang

The puzzles come from Lichess, fetched on October 2, 2026.

Updated November 6, 2026