Diagonal checkmate

The setup Queen + Bishop lined up on the same diagonal was proven to be very powerful.  In this case the setup is even more powerful since black dominates the so-called long (a1-h8) diagonal.

White mates with 1.Qxg7#.  The diagonal checkmate should be in arsenal of every practical chess player.  At the same time players should be aware of this kind of setup when on defensive side.

Note: Similar type of mate is possible if White’s Queen and Bishop are lined up on b1-h7 diagonal, double attacking the weak h7 square which is often guarded by the King alone.

Smothered checkmate

It is a mate given by the knight alone when an opponent’s king is unable to move because it’s blocked by its own pieces or pawns.  This mate is quite hard to see sometimes because players usually don’t expect the knight to be a mating piece.

In the diagram above the Black’s King is tightly surrounded by its own pawns and the rook. In fact, Black’s King cannot move at all! Any check delivered to White would be a checkmate. The knight is a perfect piece for doing that since it can check without changing Black’s pawn structure.

White checkmates with 1.Nf7#.

Note: When you see that your opponent’s King cannot move due to surrounding pieces, smothered mate theme should click in your mind.

Bishop and Knight fianchetto checkmate

It is a common checkmate which exploits the 3 weak dark squares around the Black King’s castle: f6, g7 and h6 can be occupied by the White’s pieces.

It is always dangerous to exchange the fianchetto bishop, which would be the Black’s dark square bishop (not present on this diagram currently), it will create many weak squares, especially if you’re an opponent has dark square Bishop.  Do not exchange the bishop if there is no extreme necessity of doing so.

White mates with 1.Nh6#, since Black’s King already couldn’t move due to White bishop controlling h8 and g7 and f8 is blocked by Black’s own rook.

Note: You should always feel danger (http://www.thechessworld.com/blog1/2009/08/29/38-10-real-chess-jokes) when you don’t have fianchetto bishop but your opponent does. Alternatively, if you have the bishop and your opponent has a weak fianchetto you should look for opportunities to attack.